SAMS' CHIROPRACTIC & LIFE TO YOUR YEARS

MASSAGE AWAY STRESS & IMPROVE YOUR OVERALL HEALTH

2010-04-26T12:26:00.003-07:00

Stress: the word has been bandied about so much it's nearly lost all meaning, being used as a catch phrase for every discomfort associated with busy lifestyles and trying times. But there is truly a biological component to stress, involving the release of certain neurochemicals and hormones into the body. These substances flood the nervous system with messages that essentially scream, "The sky is falling!" This repeated flooding of the emergency chemicals can have a meaningful impact on health.
While these stress chemicals served their purpose in caveman days, providing armament against attacks by wild beasts, the stress response may seem a bit over the top when all we are facing is gulping coffee on our way to work or listening to the news while stuck in traffic. Yet these chemicals may flow despite there being no real threat, and that's not something to trifle with.
For better health, we can draw on another tradition from ancient times, the elixir of relaxation known as massage. People who have tried massage report the experience to be almost overwhelmingly positive, whether they know the scientific reasons for it or not. Probably dating back to Puritan and Victorian times, we Americans still have an underlying inhibition about touch for its own sake. So basic is the need for it, though, when it finally occurs, that many massage clients encounter near-cathartic experiences on the massage table. At times, tears are shed as knots and strains start to unwind themselves and the body returns to its naturally peaceful state. Massage releases endorphins, the body's natural anesthetic, countering the cortisol and adrenaline the body releases in response to stress or a perceived threat.

We might ride the chemical roller coaster during the day as we try to pour 2 gallon's worth of activity into a 1-gallon container. We enter the massage room coiled like springs, wound tightly from driving, sitting in chairs, pushing shopping carts, and craning necks to hold a phone in place. All of this activity and a buildup of stress responses express themselves through the body. If one part of the posture is out of whack - say the shoulders are hunched forward - it throws off alignment throughout the rest of the structure. This adds up to tight muscles, compressed organs, pain and fatigue. Massage is one way to reclaim human contact while re-establishing balance and alignment.
The Science Behind Massage
For those who feel a bit undeserving of the pampering, full-body massage, there's enough science on the health benefits to ease even the strictest conscience. Massage has been shown in scientific studies to help with serious medical conditions, including reducing pain and anxiety in burn and cancer patients, and relieving pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis and surgery. It also can benefit people with eating disorders and Alzheimer's disease.
If your own medical condition isn't this serious, you'll be happy to know massage strengthens the immune system, makes workers more productive, improves sleep, and reduces angst and withdrawal symptoms in people trying to kick cigarette and alcohol addictions. There's other evidence massage relieves tension headaches, migraines, and lower back pain. Self-reported results indicate massage rules when it comes to soothing stress, decreasing anxiety, and improving self-esteem. If massage can provide such relief in the case of serious illness, how many more benefits can you reap when you're healthy, albeit somewhat frazzled?
In terms of stress, massage does much more than offset those stress chemicals; it also helps symptoms that are closely intertwined with the stress response. Evidence suggests massage improves circulation and joint mobility, lowers blood pressure, and improves energy and concentration. With better circulation, more oxygen and nutrients reach your vital organs and tissues, and more lymph fluid flows to fight off disease. Massage also improves muscle function, flexibility, and range of motion, and decreases muscle spasms and cramping.

Massage in the Mainstream
A study by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami showed less stress and improved performance for a small sample of employees (against a control group), who had twice-weekly, 15-minute massages in the office. We can thank Silicon Valley for introducing the idea of chair massage into the workplace as an employee benefit. Those West Coast innovators knew that happy employees were more productive.
Chair massage in the office is a wonderful way for those who've never tried massage to get a sample. Little wonder the Society for Human Resource Management reported in 2007 that 13 percent of its 210,000 member companies offer workplace massage, and an article in Working Mother magazine reported that 77 percent of the top 100 U.S. companies offer massage at work.
Another way chair massage has worked its way into the mainstream is its presence as an airport or mall amenity, places where people are often stressed, rushed, or sagging under the weight of luggage or shopping bags. Chair massage is performed completely clothed in a private or semiprivate kiosk, often for 10-20 minutes, and is a great introduction to massage for those with a sudden impulse to try something new and no desire to commit more than a few minutes.
An Adjunct to Exercise
People who look after their health also tend to exercise more, and exercise is an incredible stress reducer. The benefits of exercise can be exponentially more valuable when combined with massage. Many athletes use massage before an event, visualizing their best performance while activating corresponding muscles. Afterward, massage can reduce recovery time until the next event or workout. And of course, there's that glorious massage to relieve discomfort after you've overdone it on the tennis court, bike path or elliptical machine. As your massage therapist works out that lactic acid from your stiff muscles, you can relax and congratulate yourself on doing the right thing. As the old saying goes, it hurts, but it's a good kind of hurt. (Note: Tell your massage therapist if the pressure they're applying or a particular technique becomes too uncomfortable.) You can extend the wonders of exercise by combining it with strategically timed massage. Treating yourself to a massage is a wonderful reward for staying active and delivers a one-two punch to unwelcome stress.
The Promise of Prevention
Up to 90 percent of disease may be caused by stress. Perhaps nowhere can massage be more important for healthy people than in the prevention of innumerable ailments. At the very least, one can argue stress and its chemical agents play a role in making any infirmity worse, so dealing with stress proactively is an ounce of prevention in slowing or outright stopping disease in its tracks. Numerous studies have shown massage stimulates and strengthens the immune system. One study showed massage produced an increased number of natural killer cells, thought to defend the body against viral and cancer cells. What better evidence do you need that regular massage - some people aim for weekly or monthly regimes - should be part of your wellness planning?
More and more doctors are integrating massage therapy services into their practices. Talk to your doctor about the health consequences of stress and how massage and other types of natural therapy can help.

WE NOW HAVE A MASSAGE THERAPY AVAILABLE AND OUR PATIENTS ARE LOVING IT!

CALL US TODAY AND SCHEDULE YOUR MASSAGE! BUY ONE GET ONE FREE! ($40.00 VALUE)

CHIROPRACTIC CARE - WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN?

2010-04-22T14:31:00.002-07:00

FACTS AND STATISTICS ABOUT THE CHIROPRACTIC WORLD

As evidence supporting the effectiveness of chiropractic continues to emerge, consumers are turning in large numbers to chiropractic care — a non-surgical, drug-free treatment option.
A few interesting facts on this increasingly popular form of health care:
• Chiropractic is the largest, most regulated, and best recognized of the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions. It is the third largest doctoral-level health care profession after medicine and dentistry. (Meeker, Haldeman; 2002; Annals of Internal Medicine)
• There are more than 60,000 active chiropractic licenses in the United States. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands officially recognize chiropractic as a health care profession.
• In 2002, approximately 7.4 percent of the population used chiropractic care – a higher percentage than yoga, massage, acupuncture or other diet-based therapies.
(Tindle HA, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Eisenberg DM. Trends in use of complementary and alternative medicine by US adults: 1997-2002. Altern Ther Health Med. 2005 Jan-Feb;11(1):42-9.)
• Doctors of Chiropractic undergo at least four years of professional study. The Council on Chiropractic Education, an agency certified by the Department of Education, currently recognizes 15 chiropractic programs at 18 different locations. In addition, Doctors of Chiropractic must pass national board examinations and become state-licensed prior to practicing.
• Doctors of Chiropractic provide care in hospitals and other multidisciplinary health care facilities. A few notable examples of chiropractic integration into today’s health care system include the chiropractic department at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and the care provided to veterans, active-duty military personnel, and Medicare patients.
Who is the typical Doctor of Chiropractic? * Nearly 82 percent of all doctors of chiropractic are in full-time practice, with the average chiropractor working between 40 to 45 hours per week.
The majority (61 percent) of chiropractors work in an office in which they are the only doctor. Nearly one-third (31 percent) share an office with one or more chiropractors. The remaining doctors work in a multi-disciplinary setting, work in academia, or conduct research.
According to data from 2003, 82 percent of chiropractic practitioners are male.

Who is the typical chiropractic patient? More than 35 percent of patients receiving chiropractic care were being treated for midor low-back pain, and almost 20 percent were being treated for neck pain. More than half of those surveyed said that their symptoms were chronic.
Approximately 60 percent of all chiropractic patients are female. Conditions commonly treated by chiropractors include, but are not limited to, back pain, neck pain, headaches, sports injuries, motor vehicle accident injuries, and repetitive strains. Patients also seek treatment of pain associated with other conditions, such as arthritis.

HEALTH CARE REFORM UPDATE - American Chiropractic Association

2010-04-19T14:30:00.001-07:00

House Passes Health Care Reform Bill
Historic Pro-Chiropractic Provisions Will Become Law
The U.S. House of Representatives passed HR 3590, the Senate-passed version of national health care reform legislation, tonight. The final vote took place after a nearly 13 month battle, culminating in a contentious struggle to garner votes from undecided members of the Democratic majority in Congress.
This means that the provisions contained in HR 3590 now only await President Obama’s signature to be enacted into law. These provisions include an important provider non-discrimination provision long championed by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). Incorporation of this provider non-discrimination provision, also known as the “Harkin Amendment,” was achieved primarily due to the efforts of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), with help from other key players such as Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Connecticut). Although he did not support the final bill overall, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) also lent his support for the advancement of the non-discrimination provision
“Regardless of how you feel about this legislation and its overall impact on the nation, it has to be recognized as an historic first for the chiropractic profession. We now have a federal law applicable to ERISA plans that makes it against the law for insurance companies to discriminate against doctors of chiropractic and other providers relative to their participation and coverage in health plans. Such discrimination based on a provider’s license is inappropriate and now must stop,” said ACA President, Rick McMichael, DC. “While this does not fully level the playing field for doctors of chiropractic in our health care system, this is a highly significant step that has the potential for positive, long-range impact on the profession and the patients we serve. Congress has finally addressed the issue of provider discrimination based on one’s license, and they have said that such discrimination must stop.”
The provider non-discrimination provision (Section 2706) to be enacted into law reads in part: “A group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage shall not discriminate with respect to participation under the plan or coverage against any health care provider who is acting within the scope of that provider’s license or certification under applicable State law.”
Regarding this provision, John Falardeau, ACA’s Vice President of Government Relations said, “The Harkin non-discrimination language will be applicable to all health benefit plans both insured and self-insured. National health care reform is designed to eventually cover 30 million currently uninsured Americans. The non-discrimination language will, over time, apply to those individuals as well. However, that number of covered individuals pales in comparison to the 55 percent of workers who are currently covered by self-insured plans that will be affected by the Harkin non-discrimination language. The potential impact in this regard cannot be overstated.”
Additionally, the legislation passed by the House includes two other provisions that impact the chiropractic profession. Doctors of chiropractic are specifically included as potential members of interdisciplinary community health teams. These teams support the development of medical homes by increasing access to comprehensive, community based, coordinated care. Community health teams are integrated teams of providers that include primary care providers, specialists, other clinicians, licensed integrative health professionals and community resources to enhance patient care, wellness and lifestyle improvements. The language in the bill ensures that doctors of chiropractic can be included in these patient-centered, holistic teams. Dr. McMichael noted, "This language was a critical inclusion to give doctors of chiropractic increased opportunities to be fully engaged as part of the health care team."
Furthermore, the legislation establishes a National Health Care Workforce Commission to examine current and projected needs in the health care workforce. The commission specifically includes doctors of chiropractic by defining them as part of the health care workforce, and includes them in the definition of health professionals. In addition, chiropractic colleges are included among the health professional training schools to be studied. The National Health Care Workforce Commission is tasked with providing comprehensive, unbiased information to Congress and the Obama Administration about how to align federal health care workforce resources with national needs. Congress will use this information when providing appropriations to discretionary programs or in restructuring other federal funding. The language in the bill guarantees that the need for doctors of chiropractic will be addressed when considering federal health care workforce programs, another very important inclusion.
Assuming final modifications to the bill are ultimately agreed to by the Senate; ACA will then publish a detailed analysis of the entire legislation, including a timeline for when certain provisions become effective. Additionally, ACA will maintain an active watch over the implementation of the legislation over the next several years and will offer its views regarding proposed regulations that will likely be developed in order to fully implement the new law. ACA will also respond to any future legislation such as “technical corrections” and other modifications that might be considered. Dr. McMichael noted, "Our partners on the Chiropractic Summit were important team members in securing these critical inclusions for the benefit of our profession and our patients. We thank all team members for their good collaborative work on this major effort and future efforts to come." To LEARN MORE ABOUT HEALTH CARE REFORM, VISIT THE WHITE HOUSE WEBSITE http://www.whitehouse.gov/health-care-meeting/reform-means-you

Dealing with a Pain in the Neck - Training Your Neck Muscles

2010-03-25T12:14:00.001-07:00

If you're suffering from chronic neck pain, you definitely know it: Chronic neck pain is pain in the neck that lasts (off and on) for more than six months, and an estimated seven in 10 adults develop it at some point in their lives. The big question, of course, 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's also important to recognize that another recommendation is exercise, many of which can be performed at home. Let's take a look at how the neck muscles relate to neck pain and what you can do about it.
What do you think of when I tell you I'm going to give you exercises for your neck pain? Do you expect advice on general stretches or instruction sheets with simple exercises? Perhaps you have a vision of weights attached to your head like the weight-lifters you may have seen in an old movie. The reality is that neck exercises can be gentle and easy to do, and don't usually require a lot of equipment or time. It begins by understanding why exercises are important for relieving neck pain in the first place.
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, whiplash, strain, sprain 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 healthy curve of the spine. In addition, these muscles are designed to hold our head up all day. The technical names of these muscles are the longus capitus and longus colli, more commonly known as the deep neck flexors. They are the muscles that attach to the front of your spine. Because they're located deep in the front of the neck, we often ignore them. As they say, "Out of sight, out of mind," but they're important muscles to consider whenever you're suffering from neck pain.
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 period of 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 flexors fatigue is to try and lift your head off the ground when you are lying down. The technique is simple: Simply 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, your deep flexors are fatigued and need to be addressed.
For most people with chronic neck pain, this can be a difficult exercise. That's why you can 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. Ensure you take adequate rest (several minutes) in 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 12 repetitions, with rest in 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 race. The goal is to increase the endurance of your muscles rather than their strength. Your neck is designed to carry the weight of your head all day, not to lift trains or buses! That's why building up endurance should be your first priority.
Remember, the neck muscles are like any other muscle in our body. With long-term pain or injury, the muscles get weak and get tired quicker. By first "balancing" the weak muscles and increasing their endurance, you will be prepared to progress to more challenging strengthening exercises. As research and guidelines conclude, combining this with your chiropractic care will lead to the best outcomes and improvement in your chronic neck pain.

Do You Have Chronic Neck Pain? Test Your Neck Muscles

The following exercises are a great way to test if your deep neck muscles are easily fatigued and thus contributing to your neck pain. They're also a great way to train the muscles so they don't fatigue as quickly, which can help relieve your chronic pain.
Lying chin tuck: Gently lift your head off the floor with your chin tucked in. You should be able to hold this position for 10 seconds. If your chin goes up, head tilts back, or your head begins to shake and you are unable to hold the position, this indicates fatigue of the deep neck muscles, which may be contributing to your pain.
Sitting chin tuck: Simply tuck the chin in. Make sure you don't tilt your head forward. Keep chin tucked in and head back. This is a good exercise to start with if you're suffering from chronic neck pain and are unable to perform lying chin tucks for a sustained period of time.
Take-Home Points
• In most cases, don't expect anyone to find a single "cause" for your neck pain.
• Stay as active as you can; simple exercises and reducing mental stress can help.
• A combination of therapies, including chiropractic care, may be needed.
Source: The Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders

CALL US TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT (208) 888-7242

LET US HELP YOU IN LEARNING ABOUT YOUR NECK PAIN AND HOW TO WORK WITH GETTING RELIEF.

An Important Reason To Lose Weight - WHAT IS YOUR BMI?

2010-03-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Body-mass index (BMI) is basically a measure of your weight in proportion to your height. BMI is regarded as an important indicator of overall fitness and health, although the specific nature of BMI as it relates to disease is not clear-cut and the "optimal" BMI is highly subjective.
More than one million U.S. adults (457,785 men and 588,369 women) participated in a 14-year study that examined the relationship between BMI and the risk of death from all causes. Results showed a distinct association between BMI and disease, including the following:
• A high BMI was most strongly linked with death from cardiovascular disease, especially in men.
• Overall, heavier (higher weight in proportion to height) women and men in all age groups had an increased risk of death compared to those with lower BMIs.
• Among men and women with the highest BMIs, Caucasian men and women had a significantly higher risk of death compared with African-American men and women, although both groups had an elevated risk compared with those with a lower BMI.
Keep in mind that the "ideal" weight should always be considered in terms of one's height and overall body size, shape and frame. And of course, exercise and diet are also important factors which BMI doesn't consider. Lean muscle mass weighs more than fat, so good health is more than just weight in proprortion to height. Your chiropractor can determine your BMI, assess your overall health status, and recommend appropriate fitness strategies to keep you on the road to lifelong wellness.

The Calcium Question - ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH?

2010-03-16T13:38:00.003-07:00

An estimated 55 percent of men and 78 percent of women over the age of 20 are not getting enough calcium in their diets.

The following are a few strategies and tips to help you meet your calcium needs each day:

• Use low-fat or fat-free milk instead of water in recipes such as pancakes, mashed potatoes, pudding and instant, hot breakfast cereals. • Blend a fruit smoothie made with low-fat or fat-free yogurt for a great breakfast. • Sprinkle grated low-fat or fat-free cheese on salad, soup or pasta. • Choose low-fat or fat-free milk instead of carbonated soft drinks.
• Serve raw fruits and vegetables with a low-fat or fat-free yogurt- based dip.
• Create a vegetable stir-fry and toss in diced calcium-set tofu.

• Especially for lactose-intolerant patients: Complement your diet with calcium-fortified foods such as certain cereals, orange juice and soy beverages.
I RECOMMEND THE FOLLOWING FOR A GOOD SOURCE OF CALCIUM

Nutritional Supplements - There is a Difference

2010-03-13T13:01:00.001-07:00

If you think there's no difference between one vitamin supplement and the next, think again. There is nothing more valuable than your health and wellness - nothing. No matter how much you love your spouse, house, car, career, hobbies, leisure activities, etc., your health and wellness are the most priceless commodities you have. Without your health, nothing else matters.
So, why do so many people simply buy whatever vitamin is on the shelf at the grocery or drug store, without determining which is the best? If your health is the top priority, why would you settle for whatever is cheapest, easiest or fastest? You wouldn't consider using inferior oil in your car. Then why buy a multivitamin with unknown effectiveness?
Eating "right" isn't enough anymore.
You try to eat pretty healthy. You exercise. You take a daily vitamin purchased from the grocery store. All your bases are covered, right?
Eating healthy falls short of "covering your bases" when it comes to nutrition. Minerals are responsible for more than 300 biochemical, life-sustaining reactions in the human body. However, minerals are not found in the same abundance today as they used to be, due to the agricultural procedures practiced over the past several decades. Thus, just eating a well-balanced diet no longer adequately supplies life-sustaining minerals. Your health and wellness are at risk unless you replace the minerals that have been diminished in our foods. According to two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling, "Every ailment, every sickness and every disease can be traced to an organic mineral deficiency." You must ingest the appropriate amount and quality of minerals or you will be vulnerable to illness and disease. People are not getting the proper organically complexed (carbon bound) trace minerals and nutrients to provide homeostasis (body balance) as nature intended. According to the latest research, the body is imbalanced when it is deficient in organically bound trace minerals. This causes disease, which can then manifest in the body with disastrous results.

Dr. Donald Davis, biochemist at the University of Texas at Austin, discovered that of the 13 major nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, six have declined substantially over the years. He used 2006 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to determine there are dramatically lower (as much as 38 percent lower) levels of protein, calcium, vitamin C, phosphorus, iron and riboflavin in current produce as compared with produce from past decades. The reason became apparent to Dr. Davis when he discovered that farmers had to drive up profits by using the latest techniques to increase crop production. Faster-grown produce does not have as much time to develop vital nutrients. Farmers are paid by the weight of a crop, not by the amount of nutrients. Dr. Davis calls this the "dilution effect" - as fruits and vegetables grown in the U.S. become larger and more plentiful, they provide fewer essential vitamins and life-giving minerals. It's a simple inverse relationship: The higher the yield, the lower the nutrients. Slower-growing crops have more time to absorb nutrients from the sun and the soil. When carbon-bound, organically complexed nutrients, including minerals and trace minerals, in our plants are lacking, everyone's health suffers.
Jeff Cronin, at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, concluded that scientists and the USDA often overlook farming practices: "Breeding plants to improve crop yield at the expense of all other things seems to be the problem, as well as depleting the soil and not rotating crops properly." Researchers have discovered that since the mid-1930s, our soils have become progressively depleted of critical organic complexes, polysaccharides and muco-polysaccharides, and other naturally occurring microbes and soil-based organisms. Moreover, the steady addition of toxic chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, etc., has triggered long-term soil imbalances, leading to an inability to neutralize the toxic chemicals and re-create new organic complexes and other critical minerals and nutrients. Thus, our foods have become interlaced with inorganic, toxic chemicals in place of naturally occurring, organically complexed minerals and nutrients. Again, who suffers? We all do.

So, we need to supplement. What's wrong with an off-the-shelf vitamin?

We have been eating junk foods and highly processed produce that is grossly deficient in organically complexed nutrients, especially organic minerals. It's no wonder we are a nation of overweight, sick people with the highest health costs on the planet. While we spend more than any nation on earth on health care, we are among the least healthy people among modern nations. Why? It's not for lack of spending money on our health care.
In her book Tired or Toxic?, Sherry A. Rogers, MD, states: "So food processing has a seriously silent and epidemic effect on our lives. For example, vitamin E has been removed from most grocery store oils and flours. Exposures to various pesticides and chemicals can cause brain symptoms, which actually mimic Alzheimer's. The brain is more vulnerable to attack by these when vitamin E is not standing guard at the cell membrane. Vitamin E is necessary to prevent Alzheimer's."
Dr. Rogers goes on to say, "To compound our problem of declining nutrient status in this century, nutritional depletion is not readily recognized because of many reasons: (1) there is not interest in it because it is a non-prescription item, so the physician has no power over its use; and (2) pharmaceutical companies cannot patent the products to make a profit. Therefore, there is little interest in nutritional therapies, nor is there money for research. In reality, a single deficiency (because it's important in a variety of enzymes) can manifest as a variety of symptoms." According to Dr. Rogers, if the body is deficient in some nutrient or substance in an area of the body, it will "rob Peter to pay Paul." In other words, it will steal whatever it needs from one place to put it somewhere else. She calls this "auto-cannibalism." And the results are disastrous.
While organic supplements may cost more than their generic counterparts, they are ultimately a better investment for your health. Our soils are depleted and depleted soils do not produce healthy, nutrient-rich plants. It's also a fact that crops produced in depleted soils are more prone to the invasion of insects, viruses, fungi, etc. It's important to recognize that insects and infectious organisms were designed to get rid of unhealthy vegetation, and they typically do not attack truly healthy plants. Our industrialized (high-tech) methods of farming have not only depleted our soils, but also have created a vicious cycle, which requires pesticides to protect the unhealthy crops grown in depleted soils. And who suffers? We all do! Since we are not consistently receiving life-giving, life-sustaining, organically bound carbon in either our food sources or in our nutritional supplements, what are we to do?
Go organic as much as possible.
First, as much as possible, we must be diligent in purchasing foods that are certified organically grown. However, that is not always feasible for the consumer and, in fact, is not enough.
Second, we must eliminate from our diet the processed and synthetic foods that are so prevalent. Even then, there always is a lack of nutritional completeness - hence the need for proper supplementation.
We must be certain that the ingredients in the nutritional supplement we choose are of the highest quality and are ultra-hypoallergenic (non-allergenic). They must not contain synthetics, inorganic and inert (dead/synthetic/toxic) substances, as well as the following: colloids, fat, cholesterol, wheat (gluten), corn, yeast, soy, dairy, eggs, nuts, caffeine, shellfish, animal products, artificial colors, flavors or additives, preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, antibiotics, chemicals, binders, fillers, coatings, excipients, flow agents, starches, or salicylates.
So, what kind of a multivitamin should it be? And how much should you expect to spend to get a good-quality supplement?
Let's start with the different types of vitamins on the market. Just look at the myriad of choices at your local grocery store, pharmacy, vitamin or health food store. How do you sort through all the marketing and packaging to be sure you are putting the right products in your system? Four basic kinds of vitamins are sold today: natural, synthetic, organic and carbon-bond organic.
Synthetic Vitamins: Scientists have developed synthetic vitamins that are cheap to manufacture. They appear the same in their atomic structure when compared to vitamins derived from plants and other sources. However, they can be distinguished in the laboratory. Similar to looking at your hand in a mirror, you see what looks like your hand, but in reality, it's not your hand. In fact, it's the exact opposite! Millions of Americans are taking vitamins that are synthetically manufactured. As a result, they unknowingly might be auto-intoxicating themselves because the body does not process synthetics well, if at all. These synthetic elements end up in extracellular spaces, interstitial fluids and fatty tissue, where they reside, potentially causing toxicity and chronic disease.
Synthetic vitamins are known to be less bioavailable (therefore, less effective) than naturally occurring vitamins. It is significantly easier for the body to utilize natural vitamins. For example, natural vitamin E (i.e., d-alpha-tocopherol) is retained by a 2:1 ratio over the synthetic form (i.e., dl-alpha-tocopherol). Natural vitamin E might cost two to three times more, but it's twice as effective.
Since synthetic vitamins and chemical nutrients are designed for cost purposes, they are created from plentiful and inexpensive sources, not from whole foods or plant matter. They are the cheapest supplements to be found. Therefore, you should avoid the lowest-cost supplements on the shelf.
Natural Vitamins: When comparing two supplements, it's often difficult to determine the difference between synthetic and natural vitamins. However, some define a "natural" vitamin as a concentrated nutrient derived from a quality natural source, with maximum retention of the natural material; no artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives should be used.
A vitamin derived from a natural source often contains co-factors that come with the nutrient in nature. For instance, co-factors often associated with vitamin C are bio-flavonoids. These are important to health, as they are present in the vitamin C you derive from eating an orange. Supplements should mimic good nutrition from natural whole foods. That's why it's important to read labels and determine the sources of the vitamins.
Natural supplements cost more than synthetic, but they're worth it.
Organic Vitamins: There are two types of organic supplements found in the market. The "grocery store" definition of organic is whole-food-derived nutrients minus the insecticides, pesticides and herbicides; manufactured from ingredients that are certified organic. These supplements, if in tablet form, also might suffer less-than-optimal absorption due to the technology used to press them into tablets. The "scientific" definition of "organic" is related or belonging to the class of chemical compounds having a living carbon basis. A carbon-based organic supplement has living carbon wrapped around its nutrients. These supplements must be cold-processed to preserve the living matter in the product. These nutritional supplements take the longest to manufacture and may derive the maximum nutritional benefit, with no known risks or side effects.
Both types of organic supplements carry significantly higher prices due to higher costs of production and source ingredients. However, according to Randy Miles, CN, co-owner of three health food stores in Texas, it's worth the cost. "Organically bound supplements with living carbon often cost 50% more, but customers who are knowledgeable about nutrition and health are definitely willing to pay."
You can find the best source of minerals and supplements. Ask your health care professional. Look for organically complexed (carbon bound) supplements derived from whole foods, minimally processed and made from the highest quality ingredients. Avoid preservatives, synthetics and binders, as they are potentially harmful to the body. It's better to take no supplement at all than to take a poor one.
Good health ultimately is worth the price. There is no more important investment you can make.
Questions To Ask Your Supplement Supplier or make it easy and ASK DR. SAMS.... So, how do you sort through all the noise to select the best products? Here's a simple list of questions you can ask:
1. Does the product contain any binders, fillers, coatings, excipients or flow agents? These are synthetic and possibly harmful.
2. Does the product contain preservatives? Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate are potentially harmful/toxic.
3. Is this product heat-processed? Heat can kill important enzymes, co-factors and nutrients.
4. Are there minerals present? Minerals are required to catalyze the vitamins. You need more than 70 different minerals daily. Stay away from colloidal minerals (inorganic/toxic minerals). Carbon-based organic minerals appear to be the safest and most effective.
5. Does the product contain ascorbic acid? This is synthetic vitamin C.
6. Does the product contain synthetic vitamin E? This sometimes is called dl-alpha-tocopherol, as opposed to d-alpha-tocopherol, which might be natural.
7. Are there any artificial flavors, colors, additives, preservatives, synthetics, etc., in the product? Does it contain any wheat (gluten), corn, yeast, soy, dairy, nuts, animal products, etc.?
8. Is the product ultra-hypoallergenic (non-allergenic)?

I RECOMMEND STANDARD PROCESS AS YOUR SUPPLEMENT

CONTACT ME FOR MORE INFORMATION AND GET THE HEALTH YOU DESIRE!

(208) 888-7242

The Power of Protein - Give Your Body What It Needs Every Day

2010-03-10T12:35:00.001-07:00

The word protein is of Greek origin, from the word proteios, which means "of prime importance," and when it comes to the human diet, protein's importance cannot be understated. Examples of proteins in our bodies that make life possible are hormones, enzymes, muscles, tendons, cartilage and other types of structural tissues and transport molecules. Proteins are constructed as long chains of amino acids, of which there are eight that must be provided by the food we eat. They are called "essential" because our bodies cannot make them. If our food lacks enough of even one of these eight essential amino acids, then the body will have a harder time making new proteins. Why does the body need new proteins? Because our body's protein tissues wear out on a regular basis and must be repaired and replaced. This replacement process is accomplished by eating foods that contain protein. After eating protein, the digestive system breaks it down into a brand new supply of amino acids that become the building blocks that are used in repairing and replacing those that are worn out. Various food proteins are said to be of different quality, depending on how well they provide the amino acids needed to repair our body's tissues. Simply put, what quality really means in this context is the ability of the food protein we eat to provide the right kind and amount of amino acids for our body to repair worn-out tissues. Let's compare a few different types of protein and see why the concept of protein quality is more complicated than it seems when it comes to our health.
Animal Protein: The Highest Quality Protein Isn't Always the Healthiest Most animal-based foods can be used very efficiently by our body because they have the right amounts of each essential amino acid, and therefore are often referred to as "high quality." Among animal foods, the proteins of milk and eggs represent the best amino-acid matches for our body and thus are considered the highest quality. Plant proteins are often referred to as "lower quality" because some individual vegetables may have a low level of one or more of the essential amino acids (although as a group plant-based proteins do contain all eight essential amino acids). that's why the term quality is misleading. In fact, compelling research shows that "low-quality" plant-based protein, which allows for slow but steady repair of new body tissues, is the healthiest type of protein. Chronic inflammatory conditions exist in millions of Americans who eat too much dietary animal protein. Just consider the number of allergy-related symptoms attributed to consumption of milk-based protein (milk, cheese, etc.) and the cholesterol- and fat-related conditions caused by consumption of eggs and red meat. Clearly, animal protein is not the best for your overall health, at least not in the quantities consumed by most Americans. The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for protein is 0.80 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, which is an RDA of about 54 grams a day for a 150-pound adult. And the U.S. Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health in 1988 stated, "The average man in the U.S. eats 175% more protein than the Recommended Daily Allowance and the average woman eats 144% more."

Plant Proteins: The Best Option for Your Protein Needs?
We now know that through enormously complex metabolic systems, the human body can derive all the essential amino acids from the natural variety of plant proteins we encounter every day. It doesn't require eating higher quantities of plant protein or meticulously planning every meal. Dean Ornish, MD, a graduate of Harvard Medical School, has proven that a change in eating habits can slow, stop and even reverse the most common and deadly diseases including heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Dr. Ornish in his latest book, The Spectrum, states; "in general, plant-based proteins are more healthful than those derived from animal sources."

There is increasing controversy regarding the value of soy as a vegetarian protein option. On the positive side, soy is a bean and usually doesn't go through a lot of processing, so it retains all of the nutrients - proteins, fiber and the good fats. It also has vitamins and minerals. Soy proteins are very high in quality and they have a cholesterol-lowering effect, which is very heart-healthy. So much so that soy supporters suggest incorporating 2-3 servings of soy per day into diets. Supporters say clinical research studies show that soy does not lower testosterone levels, raise estrogen levels or affect sperm count. However, there is also research out there that raises concerns regarding consuming this type of protein. For instance, one study showed that soy protein contains a natural chemical that mimics estrogen. Several cancer studies funded by the National Institutes of Health showed that estrogen-dependent tumor growth increased as the isoflavone content increased in the soy-based diet. (Journal of Nutrition, November 2001) Another study frequently referred to that was published in the Journal of Urology in April 2003; it states that a chemical found in soybeans (genistein) may contribute to the development of abnormal reproductive organs that may lead to sexual dysfunction.

Start Your Day Right
Eating breakfast is an important part of attaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and studies show that eating a low-fat breakfast high in complex carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables and with at least some protein will help you lose weight. Many Americans routinely skip breakfast under the false belief that eliminating morning calories may help with weight loss. By choosing not to include breakfast, particularly breakfast that includes some protein, you may be putting your health in danger.
In fact, studies have shown that people who do not have protein at breakfast are more likely to be overweight, have less energy and have higher cholesterol levels than those who always eat a healthy, well-rounded breakfast. Research conducted at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine states: "Eating breakfast, particularly if it contains some protein, can hold off hunger for hours. Your body converts the amino acids from proteins into blood sugar. Amino acids act as tiny blood sugar time-release capsules that can keep you from overeating."
Don't know where to start when it comes to breakfast? Choose foods that are natural and unprocessed. Eat whole fruit rather than fruit juice. Whole fruits provide extra fiber. Protein sources include a variety of vegetables, eggs, fish, lean meat, seeds and nuts. If your excuse is that you don't have time to include healthy protein at breakfast, here's your answer: Try one of the many delicious tasting breakfast meal replacement shakes on the market. Make sure you choose a shake that is not loaded with chemicals and tons of sugar. With a little research you can find a great tasting vegetarian/vegan shake that uses plant proteins. Other key ingredients to look for include a super greens blend and essential fatty acids. A meal replacement shake can be made in a minute and fuels your body right through the morning. It's the ultimate fast food and so good for you. Ask your doctor for a recommendation.
Harness the Power of Protein When it comes to protein, don't fool yourself, "fuel" yourself. Build a protein-based breakfast into your morning breakfast routine and make sure you get protein throughout the day. Remember, don't overload on animal-based protein; small amounts of lean meat like chicken, turkey or fish are OK (4 ounces a day at most), but make sure plant proteins form the staple of your diet. You'll look better, feel better and improve your quality of life, all at the same time.
Rice and beans are a classic example of a complete protein dish. Separately, neither food contains all eight essential amino acids and are thus classified as incomplete proteins; but when combined (eaten together or within close proximity to one another), they form a complete protein that provides the body with the essential amino acids your body needs. (By the way, they are also a rich source of complex carbohydrates and nutrients, particularly whole-grain rice and whole beans prepared without lard.)
There are 20 amino acids, of which eight are deemed essential because they cannot be synthesized by the body alone and thus must be provided by dietary sources. Here are the big eight, some of which you may recognize by name. (Note: Four other amino acids, arginine, cysteine, histidine and tyrosine, are required by infants and young children.) Isoleucine Methionine Threonine Valine Lysine Phenylalanine Tryptophan Leucine
To find out more ask about how we can educate you on nutritional guidelines and start you on a path to a healthy and happy journey.

CALL TODAY FOR A HEALTH AWARENESS ASSESSMENT

IT'S FREE AND INFORMATIVE.

(208) 888-7242

Medicare Patients Give Chiropractic High Marks

2010-03-08T12:32:00.000-07:00

Results from demonstration project suggest feasibility of expanding chiropractic services in the Medicare program. By Peter W. Crownfield, Executive Editor
The long-awaited final report on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) chiropractic demonstration project, conducted from April 2005 through March 2007, is good news for chiropractic, with 87 percent of patients surveyed giving their doctor of chiropractic a score of 8 or higher when asked to rate their satisfaction with care (1-10 scale), and 56 percent rating their chiropractor a perfect 10. Moreover, in all but one of the demonstration sites (metropolitan Chicago), health care costs did not increase significantly with the addition of chiropractic services. The demonstration project, "Demonstration of Coverage for Chiropractic Services Under Medicare," was mandated under section 651 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003. The project evaluated the effects of expanding coverage of chiropractic services in four different regions of the country: Maine, New Mexico, 26 counties in northern Illinois and one county (Scott) in Iowa, and 17 counties in rural Virginia. Approximately 40 percent of eligible DCs in the four regions participated in the project at some point or another.
Key findings from the summary report, relative to patient experiences with chiropractic care and analysis of chiropractic-specific Medicare costs during the project, include the following. To review the report in its entirety, visit www.acatoday.org/pdf/demo_report.pdf. "Medicare beneficiaries reported good relief of symptoms and high degrees of satisfaction with the chiropractic care they received." "The most frequent reasons given for seeking care from chiropractors were favorable earlier experiences (59 percent) and insufficient relief of symptoms by prior treatments of other health professionals (39 percent)." "Clinical problems involved the back in 78 percent, neck in 50 percent, hip in 38 percent, and shoulder in 32 percent. Pain was the most frequent symptom, followed by difficulty walking. ... Sixty percent of [survey] respondents indicated that they received ’complete’ or ’a lot of’ relief of symptoms from their chiropractic treatments."
"Chiropractic care was felt to be easily accessible, and nearly 95 percent of respondents indicated that they had to wait no more than one week for appointments. Similarly high proportions reported that chiropractors listened carefully and spent sufficient time with them."
"Among users of expanded chiropractic services, visits increased by 60 percent overall and related Medicare expenditures increased by $34.8 million. ... Essentially, all of the increased costs occurred in urban non-HPSA [Health Professional Shortage Areas] and in Illinois, and especially in Chicago and its suburbs." "Illinois accounted for 80 percent of the total increase in costs and also had the highest per-person increases in costs of $485 per person compared with increases of $136 per person in Virginia and $35 per person in Maine, and decreases in the other two states." [Per-person costs decreased by $178 in Iowa and $59 in New Mexico.] "The types of prior treatments received from other health care professionals differed strikingly from those received by chiropractors, including pain pills in 58 percent, pain injections in 30 percent, both pain pills and injections in 22 percent, and surgery in 12 percent. ... The high reported use of pain medications and surgery in treatments received from other types of health care professionals suggests the potential for achieving cost offsets [by using chiropractic care]."
The stated purpose of the demonstration project was "for evaluating the feasibility and advisability of covering chiropractic services under the Medicare program (in addition to the coverage provided for services consisting of treatment by means of manual manipulation to the spine to correct a subluxation described in section 1861(r)(5) of the Social Security Act." Chiropractic was defined as "care for neuromusculoskeletal conditions typical among eligible beneficiaries and diagnostic and other services that a chiropractor is legally authorized to perform by the State or jurisdiction in which such treatment is provided." Chiropractic care needed to conform with CMS’s policy for reimbursement of chiropractic services, meaning treatment was for active conditions with reasonable expectation of improvement or resolution. Maintenance and prevention services were excluded per the CMS policy.

How to Train the Aging Brain!

2010-03-05T13:56:00.001-07:00

I LOVE reading history, and the shelves in my living room are lined with fat, fact-filled books. There’s “The Hemingses of Monticello,” about the family of Thomas Jefferson’s slave mistress; there’s “House of Cards,” about the fall of Bear Stearns; there’s “Titan,” about John D. Rockefeller Sr.

The problem is, as much as I’ve enjoyed these books, I don’t really remember reading any of them. Certainly I know the main points. But didn’t I, after underlining all those interesting parts, retain anything else? It’s maddening and, sorry to say, not all that unusual for a brain at middle age: I don’t just forget whole books, but movies I just saw, breakfasts I just ate, and the names, oh, the names are awful. Who are you? Brains in middle age, which, with increased life spans, now stretches from the 40s to late 60s, also get more easily distracted. Start boiling water for pasta, go answer the doorbell and — whoosh — all thoughts of boiling water disappear. Indeed, aging brains, even in the middle years, fall into what’s called the default mode, during which the mind wanders off and begin daydreaming.
Given all this, the question arises, can an old brain learn, and then remember what it learns? Put another way, is this a brain that should be in school?
As it happens, yes. While it’s tempting to focus on the flaws in older brains, that inducement overlooks how capable they’ve become. Over the past several years, scientists have looked deeper into how brains age and confirmed that they continue to develop through and beyond middle age.
Many longheld views, including the one that 40 percent of brain cells are lost, have been overturned. What is stuffed into your head may not have vanished but has simply been squirreled away in the folds of your neurons.
One explanation for how this occurs comes from Deborah M. Burke, a professor of psychology at Pomona College in California. Dr. Burke has done research on “tots,” those tip-of-the-tongue times when you know something but can’t quite call it to mind. Dr. Burke’s research shows that such incidents increase in part because neural connections, which receive, process and transmit information, can weaken with disuse or age.
But she also finds that if you are primed with sounds that are close to those you’re trying to remember — say someone talks about cherry pits as you try to recall Brad Pitt’s name — suddenly the lost name will pop into mind. The similarity in sounds can jump-start a limp brain connection. (It also sometimes works to silently run through the alphabet until landing on the first letter of the wayward word.)
This association often happens automatically, and goes unnoticed. Not long ago I started reading “The Prize,” a history of the oil business. When I got to the part about Rockefeller’s early days as an oil refinery owner, I realized, hey, I already know this from having read “Titan.” The material was still in my head; it just needed a little prodding to emerge.
Recently, researchers have found even more positive news. The brain, as it traverses middle age, gets better at recognizing the central idea, the big picture. If kept in good shape, the brain can continue to build pathways that help its owner recognize patterns and, as a consequence, see significance and even solutions much faster than a young person can.
The trick is finding ways to keep brain connections in good condition and to grow more of them.
“The brain is plastic and continues to change, not in getting bigger but allowing for greater complexity and deeper understanding,” says Kathleen Taylor, a professor at St. Mary’s College of California, who has studied ways to teach adults effectively. “As adults we may not always learn quite as fast, but we are set up for this next developmental step.”
Educators say that, for adults, one way to nudge neurons in the right direction is to challenge the very assumptions they have worked so hard to accumulate while young. With a brain already full of well-connected pathways, adult learners should “jiggle their synapses a bit” by confronting thoughts that are contrary to their own, says Dr. Taylor, who is 66.
Teaching new facts should not be the focus of adult education, she says. Instead, continued brain development and a richer form of learning may require that you “bump up against people and ideas” that are different. In a history class, that might mean reading multiple viewpoints, and then prying open brain networks by reflecting on how what was learned has changed your view of the world.
“There’s a place for information,” Dr. Taylor says. “We need to know stuff. But we need to move beyond that and challenge our perception of the world. If you always hang around with those you agree with and read things that agree with what you already know, you’re not going to wrestle with your established brain connections.”
Such stretching is exactly what scientists say best keeps a brain in tune: get out of the comfort zone to push and nourish your brain. Do anything from learning a foreign language to taking a different route to work.
“As adults we have these well-trodden paths in our synapses,” Dr. Taylor says. “We have to crack the cognitive egg and scramble it up. And if you learn something this way, when you think of it again you’ll have an overlay of complexity you didn’t have before — and help your brain keep developing as well.”
Jack Mezirow, a professor emeritus at Columbia Teachers College, has proposed that adults learn best if presented with what he calls a “disorienting dilemma,” or something that “helps you critically reflect on the assumptions you’ve acquired.”
Dr. Mezirow developed this concept 30 years ago after he studied women who had gone back to school. The women took this bold step only after having many conversations that helped them “challenge their own ingrained perceptions of that time when women could not do what men could do.”
Such new discovery, Dr. Mezirow says, is the “essential thing in adult learning.”
“As adults we have all those brain pathways built up, and we need to look at our insights critically,” he says. “This is the best way for adults to learn. And if we do it, we can remain sharp.”
And so I wonder, was my cognitive egg scrambled by reading that book on Thomas Jefferson? Did I, by exploring the flaws in a man I admire, create a suitably disorienting dilemma? Have I, as a result, shaken up and fed a brain cell or two?
And perhaps it doesn’t matter that I can’t, at times, recall the given name of the slave with whom Jefferson had all those children. After all, I can Google a simple name.
Barbara Strauch is The Times’s health editor; her book “The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain” will be published in April.

Only We Know What's Best for Us

2010-03-02T21:26:00.000-07:00

Only We Know What’s Best for Us

The best wellness advice I ever received came in the form of questions for me to ponder…questions that helped me uncover my own truths.
As a wellness mentor, there is no input I can provide here for you that is more appropriate than the wisdom you’ll receive by checking in with your own body, mind, and spirit. Ultimately, you must decide what is best for you. I believe this is true regardless of the source of any external advice.
Take Time to Go Within
In the spirit of quiet contemplation that the peaceful image above inspires, take some time out to look at your current level of wellness. Explore what you really need in each area mentioned below and let that information gently direct you to take appropriate action or non-action. Allow your body, mind, spirit and heart to speak to you.
I like to go through this gentle process of self exploration each spring and let the natural healing forces and wisdom within go to work. Enjoy!

SPRING WELLNESS INVENTORY
PONDER THIS…

1. ASK YOUR BODY:
What areas of you need my attention?
Which foods would nourish you?
What forms of rest, recreation or replenishment do you want today, this week, this month, this year?
Do you need additional tools for rest and relaxation?
What activities would you enjoy at this time?
Are there any new healing/wellness modalities you want to experience?

2. ASK YOUR MIND:
What is intellectually stimulating and engaging for you?
Do you get enough of this?
How can I give you more of what you need?
Do I need to provide you with more rest?

3. ASK YOUR SPIRIT:
What helps me feel connected with my source?
What is my spiritual anchor, compass or rudder in life?
What daily/weekly practices serve my spiritual life?
What things make my soul sing with appreciation for Life?

4. ASK YOUR HEART?
Who do I consider to be my “tribe”?
Who is in my closest inner circle?
Who do I love?
Who do I count on?
Who knows my heart?
Where am I expressing love?

5. ASK YOUR SELF OVERALL:
What can I do to further your greatest expression?
Where have I abandoned you?
What am I pretending not to know about you?
How can I love you?

Hope the pondering leads you to new layers of awareness. Love to hear what you discover!

After you explore your layers of awareness, come speak with me about learning more about self empowerment in Health Awareness and let me show you how mentoring can help you become more of your own health advocate.

CALL TODAY FOR YOUR FREE HEALTH AWARENESS ASSSESSMENT.

(208) 888-7242

A HEALTHY INVESTMENT YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS.

New and Improved - Great Health and Benefits

2010-02-16T21:04:00.001-07:00

My last posting was on January 6, 2010 and I apologize for not getting more information out there to my readers. They say change is good and I have been working on bringing good changes and better benefits to my patients.
As some of you know during the past few months I have been very excited about a new journey I'm taking within my practice to offer my patients more benefits within chiropractic care and health awareness mentoring.
During these months we have discovered new concepts to introduce as well as planning a brand new business practice identity with the concept of "Life to Your Years" within the practice of Sams Chiropractic.
How this affects you is that you will still continue to receive the utmost chiropractic care as always but we will offer more to our patients per their interests and individual requests.
In our moving forward technology will play a big part as well as personal patient attention and we will be introducing the following as well as many more patient benefits in the future:

• A new informational, interactive website as well as my blog with connections to subscribe via Facebook, Twitter and other RSS feeds to get our patients the latest updates.

• An online patient member center (including scheduling appointments, making payments, contacting me directly on health awareness mentoring issues etc).
• Monthly electronic newsletter (specifically designed to meet your health issues) and weekly health updates, self assessments, healthcare reform news, health education seminars and workshops etc.
• An "Ask Dr. Sams" health advice questions and comments section (with a 72 hour turnaround).
• An online store to purchase products that I personally recommend and reviews of other product suggestions recommended and shared among our patients.
• A health referral network to make certain that you can obtain the best personal healthcare within our community in all other health related issues.
With these new exciting benefits this will ensure that my patients are getting the best healthcare awareness each time they visit us as well as getting them online and on the go.
I welcome your questions, concerns and comments and I look forward to getting feedback to ensure that when you visit us we are doing our utmost to make you feel that "Wow" factor and when you leave our office you will have felt that we do "Specialize in Individual Care" about your health first and foremost.
My staff is growing as well with new team members. I am please to announce the following have joined me in my practice.
Kelly Pape - Patient Services and Front Office Coordinator
Laura Plocher - Senior Massage Therapist CMT and Health/Wellness Researcher
David Dennett - Massage Therapist CMT/Physical Therapist
George Otero - Marketing Director/Business Operations
I'm very excited about this new team and their talents they bring to our practice and the benefits we can offer our patients. After all, it's all about them.

GIVE OUR OFFICE A CALL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

(208) 888-7242

WHAT'S IN A FOOD LABEL? - HOW CONFUSING IT CAN BE?

2010-01-06T12:02:00.000-07:00

As we start the new year many of us start weight loss programs it's better to start on the right track.

Grocery shopping and reading labels is a delight for some and real drudgery for others. Regardless of how you feel about this task; judging whether or not a particular food fits into your diet has become easier since Congress passed the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990. The new food labels standardize serving sizes, lists the amounts of several nutrients and then compares these amounts to the recommended daily intake of 60% calories from carbohydrates, 10 - 15% calories from protein and 30% calories from fat. The label also indicates the food's vitamin and mineral contribution to your diet.
Take a look at a label on a food product. Here are some key points to consider when judging a particular product:
Check out the serving size. The serving size is designed to reflect the amount an average adult would eat at one sitting. Is this amount true for you? Be honest here. Do you really get four servings to a pint of ice cream or limit your serving of chips to twelve? If you are like most normal adults, you will have to adjust the following nutrient numbers to your actual serving size.
If weight loss is your goal, check the total calories and total grams of fat per serving. It is important to consider both as many of the new fat-free products still contribute substantial calories to your diet. This is particularly true of fat-free cookies and cakes. The manufacturers add extra sugar to these products to create the moisture that fat would have given the regular product. Remember, extra calories still have to be burned if you don't want to wear them in the form of body fat.
The label also indicates the food's calories from fat. This confuses many a consumer. The American Heart Association recommends we limit our calories from fat to less than 30% of our total calories. You can count up your total calories from fat each day if you wish, but there may be an easier way.
You may just want to just count the total amount of fat in the product and then compare it to your fat allotment for the day. If you know your daily limit is 40 grams of fat and one tablespoon of olive oil is 11 grams of fat, you can still make adjustments in your diet to include it. This way you do not have exclude those foods which derive a majority of their calories from fat.
Those percentages for fat, carbohydrate, and protein show you how much that food contributes to a 2000 calorie or 2400 calorie diet. This is simply a standard for women and men respectively and may be different for you. Make adjustments according to your ideal calorie intake.
The label includes the total amount of saturated fat, cholesterol and fiber per serving. Saturated fat and cholesterol have shown to raise serum cholesterol levels which contribute to coronary artery disease. The American Heart Association recommends we limit our saturated fat intake to one third of our total fat intake and cholesterol to less than 300 milligrams per day. For example, if your total fat intake is 45 grams, your saturated fat intake should be 15 grams or less.
A diet rich in dietary fiber, especially soluble fiber (like oat bran), may help lower serum cholesterol. The National Cancer Institute recommends 25 grams of dietary fiber a day to lower the risk of developing colon cancer and other gastrointestinal diseases. Dietary fiber not only helps in maintaining bowel regularity but it also helps in weight control by adding bulk to the diet.
The label indicates the percentages of Vitamins A and C, calcium and iron the food contributes to a 2000 or 2400 calorie diet.
Remember, these labels are meant to be a guide. There is no such thing as a "bad food"; so use the labels to incorporate your favorite foods into your diet. If ice cream is your "vice", you can either count the total grams of fat into your daily allotment or you can find a reasonable substitute such as frozen yogurt. In this way, you can avoid feeling deprived. Deprivation never works long term, so learn to enjoy your"vices".
The task of reading labels may initially be laborious; but with a little practice, you too will become a pro.
Better yet, you can sidestep a lot of label reading by shopping the perimeter of the market. Other than picking up a few necessary staples in the center aisles, this method is a great way to avoid extra salt, sugar, additives and preservatives in your diet. Fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry and bakery items do not contain all the additives and preservatives required to allow a food to sit on a self without spoiling. Those additives and preservatives are often salts of sodium compounds which add unnecessary sodium to your diet. You are better off avoiding them wherever possible.
Regardless of where you shop, at the market or at the vending machine, the following tips will help you avoid becoming a walking causality of modern man's quest for convenience.

DON"T DELAY FIND OUT THE FACTS AND LET ME SUPPORT YOU IN HEALTH AWARENESS SO YOU CAN HAVE HEALTHY HABITS IN THE NEW YEAR!

MAKE A APPOINTMENT TODAY - (208) 888-7242

2010 Changes Military and Benefits - Chiropractic Services

2009-12-30T22:06:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Defense Authorization Act is now law. The act includes many changes in how the military is funded and operates in 2010.
Section 725 of the act requires the Secretary of Defense to provide chiropractic services and benefits as a permanent part of the Defense Health Program, including the Tricare program, for all active-duty service members.

IF THIS AFFECT YOU AND YOU HAVE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS LET ME KNOW.

DR. R. BARRY SAMS

(208) 888-7242

HAVE A HAPPY SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON!

2009-12-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

To All My Patients and their Family and Friends:

I want to express a wonderful holiday season and that everyone enjoy their holiday with being safe and the best for the New Year!

CHIROPRACTIC CARE - GET THE FACTS?

2009-12-15T09:06:00.000-07:00

As we approach the end of the year many people make new year's resolutions and I want to mention a few facts about Chiropractic Care and the benefits. Perhaps in 2010 you experience the need to see a Chiropractor these facts can make you feel good about your first visit.

American Chiropractic Association presents this general information:
As evidence supporting the effectiveness of chiropractic continues to emerge, consumers are turning in large numbers to chiropractic care — a non-surgical, drug-free treatment option.

A few interesting facts on this increasingly popular form of health care:

• Chiropractic is the largest, most regulated, and best recognized of the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions. It is the third largest doctoral-level health care profession after medicine and dentistry.

• There are more than 60,000 active chiropractic licenses in the United States. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands officially recognize chiropractic as a health care profession.

• In 2002, approximately 7.4 percent of the population used chiropractic care – a higher percentage than yoga, massage, acupuncture or other diet-based therapies.

• Doctors of Chiropractic undergo at least four years of professional study. The Council on Chiropractic Education, an agency certified by the Department of Education, currently recognizes 15 chiropractic programs at 18 different locations. In addition, Doctors of Chiropractic must pass national board examinations and become state-licensed prior to practicing.

• Doctors of Chiropractic provide care in hospitals and other multidisciplinary health care facilities. A few notable examples of chiropractic integration into today’s health care system include the chiropractic department at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and the care provided to veterans, active-duty military personnel, and Medicare patients.

Who is the typical Doctor of Chiropractic?

Nearly 82 percent of all doctors of chiropractic are in full-time practice, with the average chiropractor working between 40 to 45 hours per week.

The majority (61 percent) of chiropractors work in an office in which they are the only doctor. Nearly one-third (31 percent) share an office with one or more chiropractors. The remaining doctors work in a multi-disciplinary setting, work in academia, or conduct research.

According to data from 2003, 82 percent of chiropractic practitioners are male.

Who is the typical chiropractic patient?

More than 35 percent of patients receiving chiropractic care were being treated for midor low-back pain, and almost 20 percent were being treated for neck pain. More than half of those surveyed said that their symptoms were chronic.

Approximately 60 percent of all chiropractic patients are female.

Conditions commonly treated by chiropractors include, but are not limited to, back pain, neck pain, headaches, sports injuries, motor vehicle accident injuries, and repetitive strains. Patients also seek treatment of pain associated with other conditions, such as arthritis.

So, perhaps in 2010 you will think of calling me so I can mentor you with your healthcare issues.

CALL AND SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!

(208) 888-7242

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY BUT COULD BE TOO LATE!

Pillow Support and Comfort

2009-12-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

It is a very comforting feeling to have just the right pillow to rest an achy, tired body on. In addition to providing comfort, the right pillows can also provide the necessary support for the neck and spine—alleviating or preventing many common forms of back pain and neck pain.

Main benefits of Pillows:
Use of a pillow while sleeping has two main functions:
• Support: From a physical perspective, pillows prop up the head, neck and shoulders - keeping them in alignment, relieving pressure and counterbalancing the points in the body.
• Comfort: From a more subjective perspective, pillows create a feeling of comfort, which aids in getting a good night’s sleep and feeling well rested.

Mattress top pillow:
The traditional pillow is the mattress top pillow - used to provide support for the head, neck, and upper spine while the body is lying in bed in a resting position. For optimum support, it is best to select a pillow that has the following characteristics:
Pillow is designed to keep the spine in natural alignment
The human neck curves slightly forward (to sustain the weight of the head when upright), and it’s important to maintain this curve when in a resting position. If the height of the pillow is too high when sleeping sideways or on the back, the neck is bent abnormally forward or to the side, causing muscle strain on the back of the neck and shoulders. This type of position may also cause narrowing of the air pipe, resulting in obstructed breathing, and sometimes snoring, which can hinder sleep. Conversely, if the height of the pillow is too low, the neck muscles can also be strained.
Based on the body’s measurements and personal preference, the pillow should maintain a height of 4 to 6 inches, properly supporting the head and neck (and shoulders when lying on back).

Pillow feels comfortable:
A large part of what makes a good pillow is personal preference. If the pillow feels comfortable, it’s likely to help one relax, get a good night’s sleep, and feel well rested in the morning. The pillow's surface can also be a source of comfort - some people prefer a pillowcase with a cool, smooth feeling (such as cotton), some prefer warmth (such as flannel), etc.

Pillow is adjustable:
To help the pillow conform to various sleep positions, it is best if the pillow can be adjusted to fit the unique shape and curves and sleeping position of the user. A pillow should mold to one’s individual shape and alleviate any pressure points.

ASK ME ABOUT DETAILS ABOUT MY RECOMMENDATION FOR THE "RIGHT PILLOW".

IT CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE IN A RESTING SLEEP!

(208) 888-7242

Causes and Treatment Options for Muscle Cramps

2009-12-07T11:11:00.000-07:00

A muscle cramp can bring a jogger to his knees or elicit the fear of drowning in a swimmer; however, athletes are not the only individuals to experience a muscle cramp or spasm. According to one estimate, approximately 95 percent of people will at some time in life experience the sudden, sharp pain associated with a muscle cramp. A muscle spasm is an involuntary contraction of a muscle, part of a muscle, or several muscles that usually act together. If the spasm is forceful and sustained, it becomes a cramp. Most people describe a muscle cramp as a feeling of tightness in the muscle; it’s not unusual to feel a lump of hard muscle tissue underneath the skin in the vicinity of the cramp. During a spasm or cramp, it may be painful, or even difficult, to use the affected muscle or muscle group.
Cramps and spasms can affect any muscle, even those affiliated with the body’s various organs; however, they are most common in the calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps. Cramps in the feet, hands, arms, and lower back occur frequently, as well.
Many possible causes
Common as they are and painful as they can be, a shroud of mystery surrounds the cause of muscle spasms and cramps. Some researchers believe that inadequate stretching and muscle fatigue lead to cramps. According to the University of Michigan, other possible factors include a low level of fitness, overexertion (especially in intense heat), stress, and depletion of electrolytes through excess sweating or dehydration. Certain diuretic medications can also cause cramping due to a loss of sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Treatment of muscle spasms
Typically, muscle cramps require no treatment other than patience and stretching; medicines are not generally needed to treat an ordinary muscle cramp. Gentle and gradual stretching, along with massage, may ease the pain and hasten recovery.
When a muscle spasm or cramp is the result of an injury, applying ice packs for the first two to three days may help alleviate the pain. Spasms that last a long time may be treated with moist heat for 20 minutes several times a day.
If you tend to get muscle cramps during exercise, make sure you drink enough fluids, and, after your workout, consider a warm Epsom salt bath followed by stretching of the affected muscles. Generally speaking, water is sufficient for rehydration; however, some may find a sports drink or juice beneficial as a means to restore their body’s electrolyte balance.
If your muscle cramps are associated with a specific medical condition, keep in mind that you need to address the underlying health problem for the cramps to subside.
Tips for Prevention
As with any health condition, it is always best to prevent muscle cramps or spasms—especially if you tend to develop them. Consider altering your diet and lifestyle by incorporating the following suggestions:
Take steps to improve your diet. Eliminate sugar and caffeine from the diet, and increase consumption of fiber and protein. In addition, remember to eat plenty of calcium- and magnesium- rich foods, such as green leafy vegetables, yogurt, legumes, whole grains, tofu, and Brazil nuts. High-potassium foods, including bananas, avocados, lima beans, and fish, may also be helpful.
Before and after you exercise, stretch muscle groups that tend to cramp.
Incorporate strengthening exercises into your fitness routine.
Avoid dehydration. To prevent dehydration, consume plenty of fluids and foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables.
Avoid excess sodium and soda (high in phosphoric acid), as they can leach calcium.
Avoid chocolate, caffeine, and alcohol, which can interfere with magnesium absorption.
Improve your posture. For example, you may have mid-back spasms after sitting at a computer desk for too long in an awkward position.
Vitamin E has been said to help minimize cramp occurrence. Although scientific studies documenting this effect are lacking, anecdotal reports are common and fairly enthusiastic. Since vitamin E is thought to have other beneficial health effects and is not toxic in usual doses, taking 400 units of vitamin E daily could be considered.
Discuss with me today if your cramps are severe, happen frequently, respond poorly to simple treatments, or are not related to obvious causes like strenuous exercise. These could indicate a possible problem with circulation, nerves, metabolism, hormones, medications, and/or nutrition.

CALL TODAY: (208) 888-7242

FOR HEALTH AWARENESS ON THIS SUBJECT.

Chiropractic Approach to Ear Infections

2009-12-02T10:26:00.000-07:00

Ear problems can be excruciatingly painful, especially in children. With 10 million new cases every year, ear infections (otitis media) are the most common illness affecting babies and young children and the number one reason for visits to the pediatrician—accounting for more than 35 percent of all pediatric visits.
Almost half of all children will have at least one middle ear infection before they're a year old, and two-thirds of them will have had at least one such infection by age 3. The symptoms can include ear pain, fever, and irritability. Otitis media can be either bacterial or viral in origin, and frequently results from another illness such as a cold. For many children, it can become a chronic problem, requiring treatment year after year, and putting the child at risk of permanent hearing damage and associated speech and developmental problems.
Standard treatment for most cases of otitis media is with antibiotics, which can be effective if the culprit is bacterial (antibiotics, of course, do nothing to fight off viruses). But, according to many research studies, antibiotics are often not much more effective than the body's own immune system. And repeated doses of antibiotics can lead to drug-resistant bacteria that scoff at the drugs, while leaving the child screaming in pain.
Frequent ear infections are also the second most common reason for surgery in children under 2 (with circumcision being the first). In severe cases—for example, when fluids from an ear infection haven't cleared from the ear after several months, and hearing is affected—specialists sometimes prescribe myringotomy and tympanostomy, more commonly known as "ear tubes." During the surgical procedure, a small opening is made in the eardrum to place a tube inside. The tube relieves pressure in the ear and prevents repeated fluid buildup with the continuous venting of fresh air. In most cases, the membrane pushes the tube out after a couple of months and the hole in the eardrum closes. Although the treatment is effective, it has to be repeated in some 20 to 30 percent of cases. And this kind of surgery requires general anesthesia, never a minor thing in a small child. If the infection persists even after tube placement and removal, children sometimes undergo adenoidectomy (surgical removal of the adenoids)—an option that is effective mostly through the first year after surgery.
Before yet another round of "maybe-they'll-work-and-maybe-they-won't" antibiotics or the drastic step of surgery, more parents are considering chiropractic to help children with chronic ear infections. Dr. Joan Fallon, a chiropractor who practices in Yonkers, New York, has published research showing that, after receiving a series of chiropractic adjustments, nearly 80 percent of the children treated were free of ear infections for at least the six-month period following their initial visits (a period that also included maintenance treatments every four to six weeks).
"Chiropractic mobilizes drainage of the ear in children, and if they can continue to drain without a buildup of fluid and subsequent infection, they build up their own antibodies and recover more quickly," explains Dr. Fallon. She'd like to see her pilot study used as a basis for larger-scale trials of chiropractic as a therapeutic modality for otitis media.
Dr. Fallon uses primarily upper-cervical manipulation on children with otitis media, focusing particularly on the occiput, or back of the skull, and atlas, or the first vertebra in the neck. "Adjusting the occiput, in particular, will get the middle ear to drain. Depending on how chronic it's been and on where they are in their cycle of antibiotics, children generally need to get through one bout of fluid and fight it off themselves." That means, for the average child, between six and eight treatments. If a child's case is acute, Dr. Fallon will check the ear every day, using a tympanogram to measure the ear and track the movement of the eardrum to make sure that it's draining. "I'll do adjustments every day or every other day for a couple of days if they're acute, and then decrease frequency over time."
Dr. Fallon, whose research garnered her the acclaim of childrearing magazines like Parenting and Baby Talk, often sees great success when she treats a child for otitis media. "Once they fight it themselves, my kids tend to do very well and stay away from ear infections completely. Unless there are environmental factors like smoking in the house, an abnormally shaped Eustachian tube, or something like that, they do very well," she says.
"I have two large pediatric groups that refer to me on a regular basis. In the winter, when otitis is most prevalent, I see five or six new children each week from each group," says Dr. Fallon. "It's safe and effective and something that parents should try, certainly before inserting tubes in their children's ears."

Chiropractic Care Can Help...
Talk to me about your ear infections or your child's ear infections and let's work together to make certain we have a clear understanding about chiropractic care approach on ear infections.

CALL TODAY....(208) 888-7242

Former House Majority Leader Gephardt Joins Chiropractic Cause

2009-11-28T10:29:00.000-07:00

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) has retained Gephardt Government Affairs, headed by former U.S. House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, to reinforce its efforts to ensure that any national health care reform legislation passed by Congress includes the services of doctors of chiropractic on par with other physician services in respect to access, reimbursement and scope of practice.
ACA hired Gephardt Government Affairs to enhance its current lobbying efforts and to underscore the necessity of including chiropractic care without limitations and on an equal level to other health care providers. Gephardt, one of Washington’s most respected and well-known political figures, has been a strong proponent of the chiropractic profession. His company is one of Washington’s top public affairs groups.
“The American Chiropractic Association continues to work to achieve professional and patient-focused goals in the health care reform debate,” said ACA President Rick McMichael, DC. “We are maximizing our effectiveness by having Dick Gephardt and his team on the side of doctors of chiropractic. This is a critical time in the ongoing health care reform debate, and ACA is taking this significant step forward to ensure chiropractic is rightfully included.”
“Chiropractic care is a valuable and cost-effective service,” said Dick Gephardt. “I am pleased to be working with the American Chiropractic Association to ensure that doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic services are treated equitably in the reformed health care system.”
ACA, based in Arlington, Va., is the largest chiropractic organization in the United States. The association provides lobbying, public relations, professional and educational opportunities for doctors of chiropractic, funds research, and offers leadership for the advancement of the profession. ACA promotes the highest standards of ethics and patient care, contributing to the health and well-being of millions of chiropractic patients.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2009-11-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

TO ALL MY PATIENTS I WISH YOU A WONDERFUL AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING.

Snow-Shoveling Safety Tips - Watch Your Back

2009-11-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

As we enter winter we have to deal with some of the unpleasures that come with it such as shoveling snow. Anyone who has shoveled snow before knows how good a workout it can be. When you consider that the average shovel-full of snow weighs 5-10 pounds, the average drive or walkway may hold hundreds of pounds of snow. Typically, the arms, shoulders and back get sore and may occasionally feel pain. The cold air invigorates most people into action; however, the same cold air can numb the sensations of pain and fatigue. Unfortunately, pain is a sign that an injury has already occurred or that mechanically you are doing something incorrect in shoveling the snow.
I share the following information with my patients every year. I will often format it into a handout for patients to take home or to give out to others. You may want to edit it or add a few more points depending on your practice style, but it's important information to share if you practice in an area of the country that gets snow.
There is a right way and a wrong way to shovel snow - paying attention to your technique can make a big difference in how you feel the next day. As with any project, the prep work is the most important. The following are some tips on how to shovel snow smarter:
 Be prepared. Spray your shovel with Teflon so the snow will not stick to it. The more snow that stays on the shovel, the heavier it gets and the more chance for injury - and frustration.
 Do a warm-up first. A tight, stiff body is asking for injury. A few minutes of stretching can save you a lot of pain later. When you are shoveling, don't forget to breathe. Holding your breath makes you tight and stiff.
 Layer your clothing. Layered clothing will keep your muscles warm and flexible. You can shed a layer if you get too hot. Make sure you wear gloves that cover your wrists; if your wrists get cold, your fingers, hands and arms will be cold, too.
 Wear the right shoes. Choose shoes with plenty of cushioning in the soles to absorb the impact of walking on hard, frozen ground.
 Use the right size shovel. Your shovel should be about chest high on you, allowing you to keep your back straight when lifting. A shovel with a short staff forces you to bend more to lift the load. A too-tall shovel makes the weight heavier at the end. (Note: Save your money - don't buy a fancy ergonomic shovel; studies have shown that in some models, the hook end is too deep. Twisting to unload a shovelful of snow with this tool may hurt your wrists.) Also keep one hand close to the base of the shovel to balance weight and lessen the strain on your back.
 Timing is everything. Listen to weather forecasts so you can shovel in ideal conditions. If possible, wait until the afternoon to shovel. Many disc injuries occur in the morning when there is increased fluid pressure in the disc because your body has been at rest all night.
 Drink lots of water. Drinking water frequently throughout the day helps to keep muscles and body hydrated. Be careful with hot drinks like coffee or hot chocolate. Coffee contains caffeine, which has a dehydrating effect and adds even more stress to the body.
 Use proper posture. When you do shovel, bend your knees and keep your back straight while lifting with your legs. Push the snow straight ahead; don't try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Try to shovel forward to avoid sudden twists of the torso and reduce strain on the back. The American Chiropractic Association recommends using the "scissors stance," in which you work with your right foot forward for a few minutes and then shift to the front foot.
 Take your time. Working too hard, too fast is an easy way to strain muscles. Take frequent breaks. Shovel for about five minutes at a time and then rest for two minutes.
 Come see us: Gentle spinal manipulation will help keep your back flexible and minimize the chance for injury. If you do overdo it, we can help you feel better and prevent more injury.

Communicate with Your Chiropractor

2009-11-15T11:23:00.002-07:00

Over thirty years of practicing I have found that I am often asked "What makes a Perfect Patient"? My answer is simple. I build a partnership with trust and mostly communication. It is very important that you communicate with your chiropractor and work together in making yourself healthy and ensuring that you stay healthy. I am encouraging my patients to take advantage of the added benefit of "health awareness mentoring" they receive as a chiropractic patient in my office. Since at the present time the insurance industry does not reward us for being proactive in taking care of ourselves, the journey to health is truly about shouldering the responsiblity ourselves. Learning about self awareness and taking responsiblity for our own health and health issues empowers us to have much more control over our lives. The issues to be discussed and the opportunity to learn about ourselves is endless. Whether you're fighting through traffic, paying the monthly bills, dealing with the noisy next-door neighbor or struggling with illness or disease, it can all add up to a considerable amount of stress. Stress is basically what we feel whenever we are faced with a difficult, unpleasant or challenging situation, and the way we deal with all this stress can substantially influence our overall health and well-being. If stress is affecting your life, it's time to make an appointment with a doctor of chiropractic. Here's why: A study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) examined the contribution of stress as a potential disease trigger among 138 chiropractic patients attending one of 10 chiropractic clinics. Patients completed two questionnaires that asked about how their current stress affected their ability to function emotionally, mentally and physically.
Results showed that nearly one in three patients viewed their lives as moderately to severely stressful, and more than 50% felt that stress had a moderate or severe impact on their current health problem. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of the patients said that it would be helpful if their chiropractic care included strategies to help them cope with stress.
Chiropractic care might be just what you need to help relieve some of that stress in your life. And remember, evidence suggests that low back pain, a condition that chiropractors are experts at managing, may be caused or worsened by stress. So talk to your chiropractor about stress and about all of your health care needs. Trust and communication are important in any relationship, but perhaps no more so than in the relationship between patient and doctor. After all, you're placing your health and wellness in their hands.

"GET YOUR ADJUSTMENT TODAY"

3 WAYS TO CURB YOUR HUNGER

2009-11-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

Drink Water

Simply put, drinking water makes you feel full, which makes you less likely to overeat or "cheat" between meals. In addition to the many health benefits of drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day, water is recommended as a weight-loss aid - experts suggest drinking a full glass of water before eating a meal if you're trying to drop pounds. Fill up with water and there won't be room to gorge.

Control Stress
Stress is a major contributor to binge eating; think about the last time you were in a stressful situation; was food one of the things you relied on to relax? Comfort eating is prevalent in our stressful society, and it's a dangerous thing; in fact, it may be one of the major reasons the majority of Americans are overweight and suffering from weight-related health problems.

Eat Regularly
It may sound counterintuitive, but it's true: The more frequently you eat small, well rounded meals, the less prone you are to hunger pangs. Eating 4-6 meals and snacks throughout the day keeps your blood glucose levels stabilized and continually feeds the body with fuel, which can help you avoid those sudden urges to down an entire container of ice cream or bag of chips.

Know Your Back Quiz - Do You Know How To Take Care Of Your Back?

2009-11-08T17:21:00.001-07:00

You've probably heard numerous recommendations about how best to take care of your back. But do you really know, for example, if you should use ice or heat on your back? Or if a back belt helps you lift more weight?

Take this quiz to find out what's fact and what's fiction. Scroll to the bottom for correct answers.

1. How should you protect your back when lifting?
               a. keep your back straight
               b. stand with your feet parallel
               c. hold your load close to your body

2. True or False? Back belts allow you to lift more weight.
               a. true
               b. false

3. Which is better for your back: pushing or pulling?
               a. pushing
               b. pulling

4. True or False? Prolonged bed rest will cure back pain.
               a. true
               b. false

5. True or False? Heat is best for acute (severe) back pain.
               a. true
               b. false

6. True of False? Being overweight can contribute to back pain.
               a. true
               b. false

7. True or False? If you have back pain, you should not do weight-bearing exercises.
               a. true
               b. false

8. True or False? Strengthening abdominal muscles may prevent back pain and provide some relief if you already have back pain.
               a. true
               b. false

9. The best time to stretch is:
               a. in the morning
               b. throughout the day
               c. after work

GET READY FOR THE ANSWERS

1. The correct answer is: c. Hold your load close to your body to avoid straining your back when lifting (especially heavy objects.)

2. False. Back belts do not make you stronger!

3. The correct answer is: a. Pushing. It is better than pulling because your body weight provides the thrust.

4. False. While a brief period of rest may help, staying in bed too long will weaken muscles.

5. False. Anti-inflammatories and gentle stretching are best, followed by an ice pack.

6. True. Excess weight, especially in the stomach, shifts your center of gravity forward and puts additional strain on your back muscles.

7. False. Strength training can help alleviate back pain and prevent further injury, but ask your doctor for guidance.

8. True. Abdominal muscles help support the back, so strong "abs" can take some of the strain off your back muscles.

9. The correct answer is: b. Throughout the day. Stretching keeps your muscles flexible and helps avoid injury.

How well did you do?

The more you know, the better chance you have of avoiding back pain - which affects 80% of the adult population and is the second most common reason people visit their doctors. To find out more ways to improve your back and learn about Chiropractic Care contact me today and we can evaluate you and your health and make sure we place you on a track to stay healthy.

THINK POSITIVE - IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

2009-11-05T17:17:00.002-07:00

As I move foward in the development of my new venture "Life To Your Years" I look forward to all my patients and new patients inquiring about this journey and always must remember to enroll them in my concept that "Positive Thinking" can make a big difference. So wake up each day and say to yourself "What am I doing to make myself more aware about my health and staying healthy. For years, we've heard that psychological factors may profoundly affect the results of treatment for an illness. Consider the stories of "miracle cures" by terminal cancer patients who kept their spirits up and maintained that "never say die" attitude throughout treatment.A recent study in the journal Spine suggests that pessimistic thinkers may have trouble recovering from low back pain. The authors examined the relationship between patient expectations of treatment benefits and treatment outcomes. One hundred thirty-five patients with chronic LBP were divided into either a massage or an acupuncture treatment group. Prior to the study, patients rated how helpful they expected their treatment to be on a scale from 0-10 (10 being extremely helpful). Following 10 weeks of treatment, the functional ability of each patient was determined using a disability scale.
Participants with higher expectations for their treatment experienced less pain in 86 % of cases, while patients with low expectations only improved in 68 % of cases. Odds of improvement were five times greater for the high-expectation group than the low-expectation group after adjusting for other factors, such as physical health, age, education, etc. Patients who expected benefit from one treatment, as opposed to the other, improved more from that particular treatment.
Don't let an illness or health concern get you down! As this evidence suggests, attitude may influence your recovery as much as the actual treatment you receive. Try to be optimistic the next time you receive treatment for any illness, and talk to your doctor about the best way to stay healthy and happy for a lifetime. Call me and ask me about "Health Awareness Mentoring" and the "Self Assessment" that we can provide in getting you to understand your health and making sure you stay healthy.
All my best.

That was It? - The Price of Fame - Michael Jackson - "King of Pop"

2009-11-01T20:03:00.004-07:00

I know I won’t be able to sleep until I get put on paper what I feel. I went to see Michael Jackson’s “This is it”, the documentary of his final days as he was creating his last world concert tour. I surprise myself in wanting to talk about him because I was never a “fan” even though I liked much of his music. I occasionally paid attention to the sensationalism of his life and career, but did not follow his life in detail.
I went to see the documentary to see what I would experience emotionally reflecting again on my experience of him as a teenager briefly in a clinical environment. As I have observed the rave reviews calling him the “King of Pop” I have also heard many of his critics malign his character and lifestyle. I decided once and for all I wanted to formulate my own opinion.
Without preconceived expectations I found myself mesmerized by this man’s talent and humility. I also acquired a renewed and intensified esteem for the influence this man had literally over innumerable adults and teenagers as I witnessed their genuine respect for his gifts and his character. It took me back more than thirty years when I spend but a few moments with the boy. Other than being transfixed by his technical creativity and discipline I experienced the identical feelings watching him on film that I did in his presence many years ago. I experienced the sensitivity, vulnerability, and innocence of a little boy.
“That was it” is my way of saying there should and could have been much more of Michael Jackson for us. I believe “This Is It” is as much of a sad commentary on a talented man and an extraordinary life extinguished too soon as it is a tribute to his musical legacy. His talent was paralleled with tremendous anxiety and drive for perfection. Although he originally paid attention to his health, he eventually compromised his health to satisfy the demands of his intense lifestyle. Perhaps the attraction of fame and fortune is more appealing to many than the less glamorous and marketable aspect of health, but in Michael Jackson’s case the loss of his health not only terminated his career but more importantly his life.
Had there been a reasoning voice among those people who most influenced his life to pay attention to balance he would probably still be with us. A healthy life (which requires balance) cannot be purchased or negotiated, it must be earned! The medications to make him sleep, wake him up and give him energy to keep him producing cost him proper rest and essential nutrition which ultimately helped generate the imbalance in his life that literally destroyed his heart.
I admire what I believe was a very sensitive and powerfully creative individual who brought joy and vision to many of his fans. What I fear however is a deadly influence upon many who do not understand the price he paid for disrespecting the laws of good health. His death is even more of a tragedy when it is not acknowledged that it could have been prevented...that is the message that needs to parallel his contribution to the music world as “King of Pop”.

A HAPPY GHOULISH SAFE HALLOWEEN - TRICK OR TREAT

2009-10-31T07:38:00.001-07:00

A Halloween tale from my spooky vault.

Most of my life I had a love affair with Halloween because I found it as an opportunity to unleash my playful and creative dimensions of my personality. I started as a teenager creating exotic and unusual haunted houses and it continued well into my professional years. I even went so far as to install a revolving bookcase (revolving from my consultation room to the reception room in my office on cherry Lane in Meridian to entertain my patients. It continued year around as a vehicle for surprising my patients and making them laugh when it was least anticipated. For many years my staff and I prepared for weeks prior to Halloween, trained numerous volunteers, put thousands of people through a black light, music and special effect filled maze from one end of the office to the other. We donated the profits to local school organizations and were fortunate to have local television station and front page coverage on “The Idaho Statesman” newspaper. I ended my yearly intense Halloween projects with the production of “Goose Bumps and Beads of Sweat”, a Horror musical theatrical production complete with maniacal witches, large slithering snakes and singing blood sucking zombies throughout the audience...it was a riot...and a huge success. Halloween has always been for me a fun adventure filled with bounteous memories of great volunteers, outrageous laughter and miles of smiles. So to all my patients today I wish you a HAPPY SAFE HALLOWEEN.

Dottie's Bash - Successful and Memorable - THANKS EVERYONE!

2009-10-28T07:00:00.001-07:00

Last Friday October 23rd we had our Party Bash for Dottie. It was a great success and very intimate with our patients who could be with us and those who were thinking of us. Dottie has been an inspiration to me and I want to thank her for all the wonderdul years we have endured successfully.

I want to also thank all the individuals that helped me organize our event and appreciate your time and efforts as I know Dottie does as well.

Well, to another 26 years with Life To Your Years and may all the new experiences we have be as good as those from our fondest memories. Here are some pics of our gathering.

Understanding My Fear - A Breakthrough

2009-10-27T21:54:00.000-07:00

It was screaming in my head..get up! Get up and write. I didn’t want to.... or so I thought! I’m tired, I didn’t sleep well...I’m comfortable in bed...It’s cold out there...I don’t really know how to write...I’m not any good...no one is really interested in what I have to say...on and on and on and on.

But it wouldn’t go away...face your FEAR..say what you have to say...at least get it out there..put it on paper...put it on the radio...put it on film...just put it somewhere until someone, somewhere sees it the same way I do.
Of course I am not the only one with this vision but it is so big and so important and so needed that no matter how small or seemingly insignificant my voice may be it still can make a sound that can be heard.
There are many things in life that are important to me God, family, friends, patients, and my health. I don’t believe that I am any different than any one of you and in different stages and times in my life I have become confused of how to arrange my priorities. My health is important because it is the means by which I can move forward with the speed and mental clarity and energy I need to accomplish what I believe is my purpose in life. Perhaps we are similar in that many times in my life I have made poor choices for a thousand different reasons and abused my health. I didn’t respect myself and my health, didn’t feel good about myself, or believed that no one else cared so why should I. Even as starters those and many other reasons somehow often justify my decision to not value my health and to even abuse it. The difference is however, I know better.
There is a knowledge and experience within my being that tells me I am not being honest with myself and that I am afraid. Fearful of what it is going to take to make my voice heard, fearful of the rejection, fearful of the slow progress that I’ve already experienced putting my little toe in the cold water, fearful of my inadequacies getting in the way, fearful of the lack of finances, fearful that I am on the wrong track, fearful that I can’t be the total example that I need to be to be understood and fearful that this journey will end like other times as a disaster in my life.
Well my conclusion through all the rubble of previous earthquakes in my life is that I can’t run away from what I now I must do. Each day brings a new understanding, and a new challenge with another door opened and a consistently renewed vision to get back on track. Whatever it takes the break through my fear is what I must do. See the fear for what it is...rooted in self doubt...and a distortion of the truth. If you believe that you have been created for a reason and you are not an accident...then you may believe as I do there must be reason for all of this chaos, suffering, and even injustice. It is my reason and my passion to press on and encourage you to do the same.

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL CHIROPRACTIC MONTH

2009-10-26T07:51:00.000-07:00

National Chiropractic Month is a nationwide campaign held each October. This year’s activities will focus on headache treatment. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing and some cause debilitating pain and nausea. Chiropractic has been proven to be an effective treatment for several types of headaches including tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck.

While many people associate chiropractic care as a treatment for bad backs, there is growing documentation that chiropractic is also effective in the treatment of cervicogenic headaches, migraines and cluster headaches. "Research shows that spinal manipulation is an effective treatment option for headaches,".

"Not only does drug-free, conservative chiropractic care provide almost immediate relief from pain, but it has significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief than many commonly prescribed medications."

Additionally, doctors of chiropractic are trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling-all of which are important components in the management of chronic headache pain. If you frequently suffer from headaches, I and ACA recommend the following tips.
• If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour.
• Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches.
• Drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.
• Avoid slouching.
• Try a low-fat, high-complex carbohydrate diet. A recent study demonstrated that such a diet can dramatically lower the frequency, intensity, and duration of migraine headaches.
• Reduce stress at home and work by planning ahead and engaging in relaxation and breathing exercises.
• Get plenty of sleep and maintain a regular sleep schedule.
This October, during National Chiropractic Month, give me a call and talk with me about how I can review the options of better health awareness mentoring in headache relief through spinal manipulation and chiropractic care.
When it comes to managing headache pain, there's no magic solution that works for everyone, but chiropractic care is certainly an effective treatment option every patient should keep in mind.

HAPPY DAY TO DOTTIE! LET'S PARTY

2009-10-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

THE DAY IS HERE! HAPPY DAY TO DOTTIE!

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to join in a celebration with Food and Drink for Dottie Hines. Dottie as most of my patients know has been with me for 26 years and she is also going to be having a birthday. We are having an open house today Friday, October 23, 2009 during 12:00pm-6:0pm at our offices at 1500 W. Barrett Drive in Meridian. Please offer your congrats to Dottie and we look forward to seeing you at our celebration. If you join us you will also be learning about our new journey in Health Awareness Mentoring with "Life To Your Years". I look forward to seeing you and please respond to the invite you received in the mail.

Health Care Reform - Chiropractic Care Update

2009-10-21T07:58:00.001-07:00

HEALTCARE REFORM - WEEKLY UPDATE FROM ACA

WATCH MY BACK! - Health Care Reform - GIVE YOUR VOICE!

2009-10-20T08:12:00.000-07:00

As the health care reform moves forward we must stand up for our rights and lower health care costs by voting to include chiropractic care as a guaranteed benefit in any health care reform bill approved by congress.
The health care reform debate will mostly impact those unfortunates (of which there are many, regrettably) who have yet to understand and appreciate the wellness that chiropractic care can provide. Their health tends to come in spurts, interrupted by doctor visits, prescription drugs and over-the-counter self-infliction. If you haven't already joined the battle, now is the time. As you may expect, and as has been suggested in several articles in this publication, there are two primary avenues that will allow you and your patients to get involved in the decisions being made for health care reform: ChiroVoice.org and AdjustTheVote.org, the advocacy Web sites of the ACA and the ICA, respectively.
Please don't let your organizational preference shape your participation; their efforts are united and their goal is the same: to increase the odds that more people will have more access to chiropractic care, now and in the future. And isn't that what we all want?
CLICK ON THIS LINK: American Chiropractic Association - Legislative Action Center and make your voice heard on this important matter.

Health Fair Exhibit - Results are Here

2009-10-19T20:00:00.003-07:00

This past weekend we participated at the Idaho Business League Health Fair and it was a pleasure seeing all the exhibitors there focused on health issues. The turnout was not was not what we expected but still it gave us good insight as to what people are talking about with their concerns, opinions and overall health care issues.
We will be moving forward and preparing for our seminar early next year and we appreciate all the feedback we have received.
Our website is getting closer to launch and I look forward to meeting new patients as well as taking my existing patients along on my journey with Health Awareness Mentoring.

Health Awareness Fair - Idaho Business League

2009-10-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that "Life To Your Years" will be having an exhibit at the 17th Annual Idaho Business League Health, Beauty & Fitness Fair on Saturday October 17th from 10am-5:00pm and Sunday October 18th from 10am-4:00pm. A fun Wellness Event for All Ages and held at the Idaho Expo on 5610 Glenwood, Boise, Idaho 83714.
Many people have questions about their health and all they want are clear and simple answers. Where do they turn for answers? The annual Idaho Health, Beauty and Fitness Fair.
Health Fair targets individuals, families and seniors with this free, fun-filled, educational, general public event emphasizing information, vaccinations, testing, screenings and samples.
I look forward to seeing you there and reviewing all the wonders of Health Awareness Mentoring.

HAPPY COLUMBUS DAY

2009-10-12T08:00:00.000-07:00

What is Columbus Day?
Columbus Day is a holiday celebrating the anniversary of the October 12, 1492 arrival of Europeans to the Americas. Christopher Columbus was a was a navigator, colonizer and explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean led to general European awareness of the American continents in the Western Hemisphere.
What a perfect example of being your own explorer and advocate for Health Awareness Mentorning. To learn and explore all you can about your health and staying healthy.
May everyone enjoy this holiday and learn about Christopher Columbus.

"The Health Care Revolution" - The Dream and the Vehicle

2009-10-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

The Health care system in this country should be devoted to support each one of us through our life journey.

“We need the Inspiration to take care of ourselves, to get healthy, maximize our health and live productive lives”

Health care begins and ends with a decision of whether or not our health is important to us. If we value health recognizing it is one of the most important aspects of our lives that accompanies us from birth to death, we begin to understand the importance of protecting, nurturing and improving it.

Health care reform will only truly mature toward a health care system for the people, by the people and of the people when we recognize it must be repaired from the ground-up not from the top- down. Administrators, legislators, CEOs, and even teachers or philosophers are confused and even lost in understanding the essence of health, and what it takes to get healthy and stay healthy. This is why it is so important that you value your health as a precious and unique asset. It is your privilege and responsibility to recognize that no one should ever understand it better than you. It lives inside of you and runs like an incredibly sophisticated and intuitive computer. Health care reform in its journey to restructure health care delivery should acknowledge and demand respect for that truth to be able to create a health care system that is truly dedicated to taking care of its people. This is how to develop a system from the bottom- up, from the individual upward towards bureaucracy and management, rather than the other way around.
To create a health care system that truly understands who you are, what you are about and how to take care of you is about a system that is interested in supporting you in getting healthy and staying healthy. The current health care system is more preoccupied with how to get you out of illness rather than to keep you out of illness. When we view health as an investment rather than a lottery we will not have to worry about it being inappropriately legislated, exploited by entrepreneurs or the media, or viewed as a vehicle to fame or fortune. We don’t want a health care system that benefits at someone else’s expense. Health is not a commodity, it is a gift, and like everything else in life it can be appreciated, honored and protected or it can be exploited. Health care should support a personalized lifestyle of continued understanding and practice of understanding and reaching for optimal health.
The development of such an idea, a process, a dream, and a system starts within the dormant brilliance of the heart, mind and soul. As you begin to recognize your capacity, your abilities, and your talents, a vision of possibilities will unfold. Acknowledging your health as a vehicle and an asset of incomprehensible value that accompanies you from birth to death is an awakening of a wisdom that will ignite and fuel change in your life. As your awareness expands and your eyes are fully able to comprehend your own health, you begin to understand the importance of protecting, nurturing, and improving it throughout life. The objective of health awareness mentoring is to stimulate that awakening as soon in life as possible and then nurture it throughout your life.
White House Reform Status

Something Wonderful in Technology is Coming Our Way

2009-10-08T06:50:00.000-07:00

In my practice I get many questions and one that has been resurfacing over and over again is "Dr. Sams, why don't you have a website to share all your vast health knowledge"? Well, it's with great pleasure that I announce the development of our website "Life To Your Years" (lifetoyouryears.com).
My team and I have been working very hard to produce a great website that will ensure the best information possible for all of our patients. In the coming weeks we will have great website to have the all the resources dedicated in keeping it up to date and provide a one source information highway to guide you in all aspects of "great health".
Our site will expose you to Chiropractic care as well as Health Awareness Mentoring which I have been promoting my whole career. I'm passionate to share my vision and dedicated that everyone has the opportunity to share in this wonderful new endeavor.
The benefits of having this new form of communication will be informative health related topics, customized newsletters, a patient center for forms, the ability to request an appointment, a health and wellness library of content and articles of interest. As we move forward with this new tool we will be developing an online store, a payment center for treatments and presenting other new feature enhancements specially designed for you.
I know you will embrace this site and my team and I are happy to have this new form of technology and communication to better serve you.
I thank you for your support and I look forward to hearing your comments and please don't hesitate to make suggestions on issues you think are important.
I will keep you informed as we approach the launch of "Life To Your Years".

It Happend Again! - Has it Happend To You?

2009-10-04T10:46:00.001-07:00

It happened again, this time over great food with a friend. During a lunch buffet at the Mai Thai restaurant in Eagle, modern Thai and Japanese Cusine, with one of the most flavorful, healthy and best priced experiences for me in the treasure valley. Lunch was with Farzine, a realtor who I consider to be a wise, gentle, kind, generous, and honest businessman.
During the course of our conversation he mentioned he didn’t eat chicken which of course caught my attention. I asked why and he said “I’m type B blood type”. Because of my interest in “Eating right 4 your blood type” I was immediately on to specific questioning. I discovered again, yet another person who read, understood, and was practicing some of the health principles found in this book. I as particularly impressed because he believed in the same approach to the philosophy that I did. It’s not about making your whole life and food experience evolve around how and what kinds of food you eat, but to certainly pay attention to how they affect your health and then make better food choices. Another one of those delicious and enlightening lunch time experiences with a friend.

How Does It Feel To Be Loved?

2009-10-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

In those hours of self pity, self doubt and discouragement I would probably say “I don’t know” how it feels to be loved. There aren’t too many subjects, that have been written about more than this subject. I’ve heard it been said that love is more a decision than a feeling and I am beginning to believe that is true.
I had a phone discussion with a friend last night that reminded of the power of that decision...I’ll call it my “decision to love.” In reflection of memories of past feelings and my interpretation of them I believe I know what it is like to not feel loved. If you are a human being and you live on this planet you probably have “experienced or felt” similar feelings at one time another in your lifetime. It does not feel good. As a matter of fact I would call it some of the darkest hours of my existence when the loneliness and despair seem like (although I acknowledge truly brief) painfully endless periods of time.
Then somehow or other (many discussions in the future on how that is) I pull out of it, the sun shines, the emptiness disappears, and life feels full and incredibly satisfying again. Why? I believe this is a natural cycle that most of us experience and must learn to manage to truly be healthy. The absence of understanding and even appreciating the value of these kind of experiences in our lives frequently leads to the abuse of antidepressants, misguided counseling, and self perpetuated and unnecessary depression. Please do not misunderstand. I am very empathetic to those who experience legitimate (particularly chemically/physiologically induced depression. I refer now to those of us in the majority who do not fit in that category. Those of us who in the realm of living and life’s experiences must learn to accept, understand and develop healthy coping mechanisms (attitudes) about how to handle this kind of stress. Yes, I said it. I refer to yet another kind of stress (depression that comes from not feeling loved) that can destroy our health if we don’t learn to manage it well.
So what does this have to do with the decision to love? When these occasions (dark hours) show up in our lives it then becomes the time to employ some of our stress and emotional management tools. Finding the courage to open our eyes to acknowledge those in our lives who do love us is the process of making love a decision. Our struggle during those times is lightened when we chose to abandon self absorption and what feels to be missing in our lives...and consciously replace them with the positive emotions of appreciation and gratitude. I have learned to be grateful and to savor the subtleties in gestures that say I love you, appreciate you, and thank you. It brings tears to my eyes, a palpable warmth to my heart, and a renewal of the feeling that I know what it is like to feel loved.

How To Reduce the Need for Chiropractic Adjustments

2009-09-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

I am frequently asked by my patients and others why it is that my patients seem to need more chiropractic adjustments than I do (the doctor). It is a very legitimate question and one in my opinion that deserves a response. The answer is simple and at the heart of health awareness mentoring....do it for yourself!

No, I am not being sarcastic. The essence (at the core) of physical health is movement. I am sure you all get endlessly fatigued, even annoyed at times by me asking what kind of exercise are you doing. The bad news is that this kind of questioning is not going to go away. The good news is that is worth repeating endlessly because it is a universal principle that health, energy, alertness, and a positive attitude are directly linked to the quality and consistency of movement in our life.

When you add in movement (i.e a regime of walking) into your daily routine, you are doing yourself a huge favor. You will discover that the additional tissue circulation and oxygenation will brighten your outlook on life, reduce your stress (actually give you alone time and an opportunity to decide how to better manage your stress), improve digestion and elimination and stimulate breathing capacity (just to name a few of the health benefits you’ll receive).

Now for how that applies to reducing the need for chiropractic adjustments. That is accomplished by taking the exercise commitment to the next level. The Chiropractic adjustment again is about movement of the individual segments (vertebrae) of the spine and the associated soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments). On a weekly basis I participate in a variety of physical activities that may surprise you. I understand the necessity of a varied exercise particularly as we age to accommodate our bodies’ need to maintain strength, flexibility and stamina to be able to do all that we have to do individually in a day. Other than walk, I bicycle, occasionally swim, take an energetic step aerobics class, lift weights, do resistance band exercises, take yoga and pilates, and participate in high energy dance exercise classes such as Zumba and Nia to strengthen ligaments and maintain musculoskeletal and neurological balance. These types of exercising and fitness dramatically reduce my need for chiropractic adjustments because they bring mobility to every aspect of my being. Try it yourself...I guarantee as you become familar with the concept it will not only add a wonderful new dimension to your health, but it will also reduce the frequency you will need to visit any health care practitioner.

HEALTH CARE REFORM - Continues

2009-09-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

The battle on health care reform wages on. I believe it is not a matter of if but only a matter of when we will see congress present us with the bill. And by the bill I mean the particulars of the new system which they will begin to put into effect and the cost that inevitably will have to be absorbed by the taxpayer.

On Friday, 9/4/09 Baucus ( the Senate’s chief democratic negotiator on a health care bill) said the members of his group agree on several big-picture items, including the need to control costs, provide access to affordable coverage for all Americans and ensure that health care fixes don't add to the deficit. The negotiators have been working on a pared-back bill that would cost under $1 trillion over 10 years and drop contentious components, such as the government-sponsored insurance plan that liberals insist must be in the legislation. Since the Republican leaders are solidly opposed to Obama's approach to the health care reform, the GOP negotiators are under tremendous pressure not to cooperate.

Unfortunately I have not seen any concrete evidence that the plan will make health care more cost effective and quality conscious. The emphasis continues to be making it more universally available. This issue is not only going to get politically much bigger and increasingly more contentious but significantly more important to every American who will be accessing the health care system. Stay tuned , you are going to want to know how this will affect you!

Acetaminophen can be Poison

2009-09-18T12:03:00.007-07:00

Acetaminophen overdoes is the leading cause of liver failure in both the United States and Great Britain. Fifty percent of all acute liver failure in the United States is attributed to acetaminophen consumption. While many of these cases result from an overdose, either intentional or unintentional, even “correct dosage” has been cited as causing liver damage, liver failure and death. In the United States, approximately 56,000 liver injuries requiring emergency treatment, 26,000 hospitalizations and 458 deaths per year are attributed to acetaminophen consumption.

One of the main problems with this drug is how easy it is to overdoes unintentionally. As most of us know, acetaminophen is the primary ingredient in medications like Tylenol. But acetaminophen is also in almost 200 brand name and generic products, most of which are available over the counter. These products are as varied as headache and backache pills, cold, flu and sore throat medications. It is not hard to imagine a patient taking acetaminophen for pain and fever and then taking other medications for sore throat, cough, congestion, and cold symptoms. Without a thought, the patient is overdosing. Compound that with the risk of fasting, alcohol consumption or genetic predisposition to liver disease and the patient is destroying his or her liver. We know that fasting is as dangerous as alcohol consumption when taking acetaminophen.

In cost-analysis studies, chiropractic care is often seen as more costly than simply taking acetaminophen for pain. However, if this medication’s long term effects are factored into the equation including liver injuries, liver transplants and death, then chiropractic care looks much more attractive than using this popular drug.

References: William Morgan, D.C., Larson AM, et al. Acetominophen Induced Acute Liver Failure, Nourijah P. Ahmad SR Karwoski C Willy M. Estimates of acetominophen associated overdoes in the United States, Pharmacopidemiol Drug Saf. 2006 June 15; (6): 398-405

Article from the FDA on Liver Injury.

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/UCM172664.pdf

Video on the FDA tackles Acetominophen:
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/cb-tvIPZCZcb2Ll5K9bwCQhfIfoqPIixKZN/fda_tackles_acetaminophen/

Laughter Yoga

2009-09-15T10:43:00.002-07:00

Laughter is the best Medicine. Check this video out and share some of your Laughter with Someone Today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0eB3ISAYE-I

Feeling Inadequate - Try a Hair Piece

2009-09-06T14:29:00.008-07:00

Have you ever felt that you just weren’t good enough?
Years ago struggling with my identity and losing my hair quickly I did I believe what many of us do when we struggle with issues in our lives like when we feel inadequate, unloved, or somehow lost in the vastness of life...I over compensated!
Looking back I probably see it better now than I did then but is always helpful to examine the process. I call it “crisis plus time equals humor”. Not feeling good enough is a universal feeling and hits most of us sooner or later but what matters most is not that it shows up but what we do with the feeling when it does. Without recognizing it for what it is at the time we may make some poor choices to compensate for the feeling in our effort to make it go away. In my effort to make the feeling go away I looked for a quick solution. Trust me there is no quick solution that removes the feeling, but there is a process that does work. I somehow started equating my feelings of inadequacy with the ongoing loss of my hair. I made the decision to get more hair which would obviously make me feel more competent and whole, right? What was I thinking?
When we are feeling lousy about ourselves we have a tendency to be incredibly vulnerable in our judgment and decision making process. The choices we make at such times can be disastrous or they can be very healthy. I will tell you about my disaster (not an emotionally healthy choice) so that hopefully you will avoid such a mistake in your life. I came across an advertisement (the ultimate temptation when not feeling good about yourself) to have more hair and roll back the aging process (whatever that means). With an impulsive decision to solve my feeling of inadequacy I flew to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and had a hair piece sewn into my head. I call it my hysterical nightmare! So far away from home I found myself trapped by my own decision. I had not carefully thought through the consequences of my choice. The company which had all the appearances of being successful and legitimate existed as do many other companies to help us temporarily feel better about ourselves had me where they wanted me. I decided I had not gone all that distance not to follow through with my decision and that having more hair would make me feel better about myself. I knew even then that something inside of me was screaming ‘this is not a good decision”. My need to compensate for my feelings of inadequacy were far greater at that moment than my need to understand my feelings and make a better choice.
I completed the procedure. During the surgery I was fully awake with just an anesthetized skull. Their intentions were to not let me see myself until the entire procedure was completed but when I had a brief moment to myself I ran out of the room to find a mirror. The shock of my life ensured. I was living my own horror movie with blood running everywhere down my face and neck and now with a head of spiked hair looking shocking similar to the bride of Frankenstein. It was too late I couldn’t go back I knew at that moment I would have to live with my decision. Before I left Philadelphia I had two major hair cuts and still looked like Liberace on a bad hair day. The nightmare continued having to return to Philadelphia at a moments notice to repair the hair piece. On two occasions I accidentally cut a suture when trimming my hair and the hair piece started unraveling; I had to immediately return to Philadelphia to prevent the hair piece from slipping off on my head. That decision cost me a lot of money and followed me for twelve years until I finally realized it did absolutely nothing to help me resolve my feelings of inadequacy. That whole process from a singular decision ended up being only a bandaid placed over a wound that was having a difficult time healing.
Feelings of inadequacy exist for a reason. Like many other things in our lives they exist to teach us about ourselves. They are valuable moments in time that offer us the opportunity to look inside to see what is really happening and to make necessary changes to make our lives better. From there the fact remains that the only way to resolve the feelings is to face them honestly. Denying their existence or attempting to go around them only delays resolve and inner peace.
When feelings of inadequacy show up first of all allow yourself time to reflect on what is happening to you. If ever there is a time in your life to slow down and pay attention, this is it! You are here for a reason. One of the major reasons feelings of inadequacy show up is because we temporarily cannot see or do not acknowledge that our life has significance and that our journey has purpose. I believe in God and I know with certainty my life matters to Him like I know he watches over you as well. I know that because every time I take the time to slow down and be grateful for the blessings, talents, gifts, and relationships in my life I truly begin to understand that I am not inadequate. Brief periods of loneliness, anxiety, or incompetence are simply momentary blind spots when we are unwilling to acknowledge the goodness, “the silver linings”, or “the pots of gold at the end of our rainbows”. To be thankful for what we already have is the first step in allowing our hearts and minds to find the way out of our feelings of inadequacy. The process is real ...it is universal

Health Care Reform - it continues

2009-09-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

The battle on health care reform wages on. I believe it is not a matter of if but only a matter of when we will see congress present us with the bill. By the bill I mean the particulars of the new system which they will begin to put into effect and the cost that inevitably will have to be absorbed by the taxpayer.
On Friday, 9/4/09 Baucus(the Senate’s chief democratic negotiator on a health care bill) said the members of his group agree on several big-picture items, including the need to control costs, provide access to affordable coverage for all Americans and ensure that health care fixes don't add to the deficit. The negotiators have been working on a pared-back bill that would cost under $1 trillion over 10 years and drop contentious components, such as the government-sponsored insurance plan that liberals insist must be in the legislation. Since the Republican leaders are solidly opposed to Obama's approach to the health care reform, the GOP negotiators are under tremendous pressure not to cooperate.
Unfortunately, I have not seen any concrete evidence that the plan will make health care more cost effective and quality conscious. The emphasis continues to be making it more universally available. This issue is not only going to get politically much bigger and increasingly more contentious but significantly more important to every American who will be accessing the health care system. Stay tuned , you are going to want to know how this will affect you!

HAPPY LABOR DAY

2009-09-04T15:50:00.002-07:00

I WANT TO WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY AND SAFE LABOR DAY WEEKEND!

BACK PAIN CAN HAPPEN IN MANY WAYS!

NEW PATIENTS WELCOMED

The Flu and You, What to Do?

2009-08-30T08:27:00.003-07:00

The Dilemma:

We have been talking for months now about the coming flu but I haven’t really told you what I recommend. It’s no secret that I oppose immunization. Even if you fall in the category of high risk you now have to ask yourself am I really better off having the flu vaccination or not. I know you want to be told do or don’t do it, but here’s the unavoidable problem ...and it is at the heart of your health and health care for now and from now on. You shouldn't’t want anyone to make that decision for you. Wisdom dictates that you want to be in control of your own health and you and your family’s health care. Armed with the facts, including your health history and the history of each one of your family members ( proven vulnerability or strong immunity), your circumstances (your risk of exposure), and understanding both the consequences of taking and not taking the vaccine, you will then be prepared to make an informed and confident decision. The
absence of this process will find you feeling victimized by the illness and institutions (i.e government, and health care providers) forcing a decision upon you that you haven’t already determined for yourself.
Simply ask yourself is it worth the risk to expose my body to the constituents (the toxic substances) that are in the vaccination? Then realize in many instances you will not be protected even if you do take the flu shot and likely you will get the flu anyway just from having taken the shot or the live virus nasal spray. Finally ask yourself if you do get the flu what will be the consequences of the illness?
Your body is designed to fight infection and invasion of foreign substances such as virus that cause the flu. The question is how strong is your body’s immunity to fight it off. Here’s the kicker! You actually may be better off getting the flu! When your body is capable of handling the illness (and only you really know the answer to that question), getting the flu actually strengthens your immunity and keeps your body’s defenses on high alert and strengthened against future attacks.
I acknowledge it is a difficult decision but it is very important that you feel empowered in your decision by being informed and willing to accept the consequences of your decision.
Now for a some suggestions. Your objective without overly traumatizing yourself and your family is to follow a few steps to help prevent infection and a preventative measure. The mucus membranes (particularly the mouth and the eyes) are the most vulnerable portals of entry into the respiratory tract for the virus causing the flu. Refraining from kissing on the lips or touching your own or someone else’s lips or eyes is very important. Frequent washing of your hands (if even suspect of exposure) is critical.

A Solution:

For over five years now I have recommended a particular product to help prevent getting colds and flu. Personal experience as well as the phenomenal experience with numerous patients over that time continues to reinforce my recommendation for this product to help strengthen your immune and cardiovascular systems. It is rare to find a product that covers so many bases with such a significant “bang for your buck”. Because supplementation can be expensive it is important go with the product that has proven value and effectiveness. I am particularly emphasizing the value of this product now to prepare you for the flu season by strengthening your immune system. I have watched the development of this product from its inception to manufacturing and marketing to distribution and trust the quality. There is nothing presently on the market that I am aware of that can guarantee strengthening your immune system because your chemistry and immunity are unique just as you are unique. However there are known substances with proven ability to dramatically enhance immunity and strengthen your ability to fight off illness and expedite recovery when you do fall prey to illness. Details of why and how this particular product works is the topic for another extended blog entry. For now it is important to know the constituents and how they help you. You’ve heard me talk before about the company SeaBiotics www.seabiotics.com/samschiropractic. The specific product to which I refer is Alkyltransfactor http://home.seabiotics.com/index.php?page=products&d=p formulated for adults and Neurotransfactor http://home.seabiotics.com/index.php?page=products&d=p)formulated for children and seniors. It contains omega 3 fatty acids which help regulate inflammation and augments your body’s ability to fight infection and alkylglycerols which are powerful in stimulating immunity. Myself, members of family, Dottie and numerous patients testify to the effectiveness of this product. I recommend you obtain it and take it daily during the flu season. You’ll be glad you did.

Flu Shots?

2009-08-20T07:26:00.005-07:00

The decision is almost upon us whether or not to be vaccinated for the coming flu. It is important that you become educated about the facts and the myths and then make an educated decision for yourself and your family. Everyone’s circumstance is different so ponder the advantages and disadvantages. It is wise to think about it in advance so that you are mentally and emotionally prepared before the decision is to be made. Please take the time to arm yourself with information so you will feel empowered to have made a conscious informed decision based on facts and your particular circumstances. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions you want answered.
The flu http://www.medicinenet.com/influenza/article.htm (or common flu) is a viral infection http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=11557 that is spread from person to person in secretions of the nose and lungs, for example when sneezing. Medically, it is referred to as influenza. Flu is a respiratory infection, that is, an infection that develops primarily in the lungs. Respiratory infections caused by other viruses often are called flu, but this is incorrect. Influenza usually causes higher fever more malaise, and severe body aches than other respiratory infections. Although other viruses may cause these symptoms, they do so less commonly.
The "swine flu" http://www.medicinenet.com/swine_flu/article.htm of 2009 is caused by a novel influenza A virus designated H1N1 based upon its surface protein types. This virus was originally referred to as "swine flu" because many of the genes in this new virus were very similar to influenza viruses that normally occur in pigs in North America. However, this new virus is actually quite different from the typical swine flu viruses found in pigs. The novel H1N1 virus www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=104297)first caused illness in Mexico and the United States in March and April 2009. H1N1 flu is spread from person to person, unlike typical swine flu as described above, although it is not clear how easily the virus is able to spread among people.
Each year, the influenza virus can change slightly, making the vaccine used in previous years ineffective. Each year, a new vaccine must be prepared that will be effective against the expected type of influenza virus. The trick is to be able to predict which influenza viruses are going to cause infection and to prepare a vaccine against those viruses. Usually, scientists can predict accurately which types of influenza virus will cause infections and prepare an appropriate vaccine. The vaccine is generally effective against the influenza virus within two weeks of administration. The vaccine is only effective against the strains of the virus that match the vaccine. These strains vary from flu season to flu season each year. This is the reason that revaccination is required annually with the vaccine that matches the strains of influenza that are currently prevalent.
Flu vaccination does not protect against infection caused by microbes other than the influenza virus. Flu vaccination does not protect against infection caused by microbes other than the influenza virus. Side effects include soreness at the site of the injection, muscle aching, fever, and feeling unwell. Serious allergic reactions have been reported.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillain-Barr%C3%A9_syndrome is an illness characterized by fever, nerve damage, and muscle weakness. In 1976, vaccination with the swine flu vaccine was associated with development of GBS.
The nasal-spray flu vaccine (sometimes called LAIV for live attenuated influenza vaccine, brand name FluMist) was first licensed in 2003. It is directed against the same strains of virus as the flu shot but differs in that it contains weakened live influenza viruses instead of killed viruses and is administered by nasal spray instead of injection. The vaccine is termed an attenuated vaccine because the viruses are weakened so that they do not cause severe flu symptoms. The nasal spray flu vaccine (LAIV) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) http://www.fda.gov/ for use in nonpregnant healthy people between 2 and 49 years of age.
People at risk for serious complications from the flu should not receive the nasal spray flu vaccine. In particular, certain groups are advised to receive the inactivated flu vaccine rather than the nasal spray vaccine, including
• children younger than 5 years of age who have recurrent wheezing,
• people with chronic health problems, including heart and lung disease,
• pregnant women,
• people with suppressed immune function and those who care for or come into contact with those with a suppressed immune system,
• adults over age 50 or children 6 months to 2 years of age, and
• children or adolescents receiving aspirin therapy.
The live viruses in the nasal-spray vaccine are weakened so that they do not cause severe symptoms. However, mild symptoms can occur as a side effect of the vaccination. Side effects of the nasal-spray flu vaccine can include runny nose, headache, sore throat, and cough. Children who receive the vaccine may also develop mild fever and muscle aches.
Now let us talk about Reasons not to get a flu shot: www.associatedcontent.com/article/418809/reasons_not_to_get_a_flu_shot.html?cat=5)
One of the biggest health concerns right now is the discovery of mercury in many things we use on a daily basis and in our children's toys. If this is such a concern, why then are people rushing out to put mercury in their systems? That's right, flu shots contain parts of mercury. Actually, flu shots contain ethylene glycol, phenol, formaldehyde, aluminum and mercury.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), http://www.epa.gov/ the maximum allowable daily exposure to mercury is 0.1 microgram per kilogram of body weight. The vaccine for young babies called Fluzone contains 25 micrograms of mercury per 0.5 ml dose! Is this vaccination supposed to protect or poison our children? Alzheimer's Disease was TEN TIMES higher than if they had two or less shots! When asked why this was, he concluded that it was due to the mercury and aluminum that is in every flu shot (and most childhood shots). This information was delivered at the 1997 National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) http://www.nvic.org/ International Vaccine Conference.
A Vancouver neuroscientist named Chris Shaw has also shown a link between the aluminum hydroxide used in the flu vaccines, and symptoms associated with Parkinson's,http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinson and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis
It's important to know that there are many different strains of the influenza virus. Doctors can not predict which strain will hit each year. Because of this, the flu shot is not even a guarantee that a person will not get the flu. They say that if a person that gets the shot does end up coming down with the flu, the symptoms will not be as bad and should have fewer all together.
Speaking in general, people who should not get the flu shot regardless of your beliefs in it include infants under 6 months old, anyone who is severely allergic to eggs and egg products (because some ingredients in the flu shot are grown in eggs), anyone who has ever had a severe reaction to a flu vaccination in the past, anyone with Guillain-Barré syndrome (a rare condition that affects the immune system and nerves), or anyone with a fever.
Your body is made to fight infections on its own...let it do its job naturally. Don't take the chance of something worse happening now or in the long run by introducing a harmful substance into your body.
Let's switch our attention over to the elderly now. There is a big push for the elderly to get flu shots to protect them from getting the influenza virus. But what about the long term effects of these shots? Or even the short term effects on someone who has a suppressed immune system? If you have a disease or sickness that is already lowering your body's ability to fight a virus, and you introduce the flu virus into your body through the shot, you have just put your body in danger of getting the full effects of the flu. In the elderly, this combination of factors could lead to a dangerous and possibly horrible end. Not only could the elderly end up with the flu, but now they are even more susceptible to pneumonia and other contagious diseases.
One in three nurses say they will not be immunized against swine flu, despite being offered the vaccine as a priority to protect patients. Concerns about the vaccine’s safety and a perception that the infection is mild are among reasons that NHS staff gave for refusing to have the vaccination, a survey of nearly 1,500 staff found. Frontline health and social care workers will be offered the vaccination in October, along with patients in at-risk groups — such as those with diabetes, asthma or pregnant women. In the online survey for Nursing Times magazine,http://www.nursingtimes.net/ 30 per cent of nurses said that they would not get immunized when the vaccine for H1N1 became available; 37 per cent said they would. Thirty-three per cent were undecided. Of those who said that they would not be vaccinated, 60 per cent cited concern about the safety of the vaccine as the main reason. Thirty-one per cent said they did not consider the risks to their health from swine flu to be great enough.
Two possible vaccines are being tested in trials run by the University of Leicester and the Health Protection Agency to assess immunity levels and identify side-effects. A decision on licensing is expected at the end of September, with nearly 55 million doses expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2000/11/26/flu-shots-part-two.aspx
As you consider your decision, read this information by Dr. Mercola..you will find it quite interesting.
Here are some of the the constituents of a flu shot: Ethylene glycol, phenol, formaldehyde, aluminum. Thimerosl, neomycin, streptomycin Ethylene glycol (antifreeze), Phenol, also known as carbolic acid (this is used as a disinfectant, dye), Formaldehyde, a known cancer-causing agent, Aluminum, which is associated with Alzheimer's disease and seizures and also cancer producing in laboratory mice (it is used as an additive to promote antibody response), Thimerosal (a mercury disinfectant/preservative) can result in brain injury and autoimmune disease, Neomycin and Streptomycin (used as antibiotics) have caused allergic reaction in some people. Vaccines are also grown and strained through animal or human tissue like monkey kidney tissue, chicken embryo, embryonic guinea pig cells, calf serum, and human diploid cells (the dissected organs of aborted human fetuses as in the case of rubella, hepatitis A, and chickenpox vaccines).
Well, I refuse to put all of the above in my body, and I hope when your doctor starts telling you it's time for your annual flu shot that you'll require him to defend the annual injection. You or your insurance company's probably paying eighty bucks for a visit, so get your money's worth.
Have your doctor read you the insert that comes with the vaccine.
Then have him/her explain why it makes sense to inject toxic chemicals into the human body and how such substances can aid the delicate immune system.
Chances are he/she will fall back on questionable statistical and demographic explanations that the medical establishment has used for decades to justify immunization.
Try to engage your doctor in a non-confrontational discussion because this is an opportunity for him/her to actually give some serious thought to what he/she is injecting into bodies of patients day after day after day.
Many traditional doctors who haven't studied diet and lifestyle aren't going to change unless we help to educate them to what drugs and vaccines may really be doing long-term to people.
Okay, to speak from personal experience for a moment, let's look over our shoulders to 1990, a time period before the Day family turned to natural methods of building health.
In February of 1990, right after my wife's major cancer surgery in January, her doctor recommended a flu shot.
Almost immediately after the injection, my wife started feeling ill.
Overnight she came down with the worst case of flu she'd ever had.
She went to bed and literally didn't get up again for more than a few hours at a time for years afterwards. Only now, almost a decade later, is she finally regaining full health and energy.
Okay, I'm a realist so if was still thinking traditionally, part of me would almost buy into the typical rationale for flu vaccines, that so many people are spared the annual flu and only a few die or have their lives ruined after being injected.
And when one digs into the vaccine history (check out the Swine Flu vaccine if you want a real horror story) and scientific research (especially in Europe), it quickly becomes apparent that nobody really knows what these toxic stews of chemicals and microorganisms do in the human body.
Okay, I can understand that, but my next question would be "Which is better? Some rest time with the flu or having toxic chemicals injected into your bloodstream?"
I mean, seriously, before I got healthy I almost looked forward to a yearly bout with influenza because it meant I could go to bed and get some rest instead of working practically every waking moment of my life.
I might add that I haven't missed more than two consecutive days of work from an illness for almost five years, so a non-vaccine approach does work for me. This non-drug approach has resulted in a level of health that continually amazes me, especially when I see other men and women my age who are miserable and without energy. Men and women who spend all too much of their time drifting from doctor to doctor in endless pursuit of solutions that don't get to the cause of their problems -- diet and life style.
Why the Flu Vaccine Doesn't Work
A bit about immunology and biochemistry
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D., http://chemistry.about.com/bio/Anne-Marie-Helmenstine-Ph-D-7815.htm The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/ is looking at whether or not the flu vaccine is effective. Preliminary results indicate you'll get just as sick (with colds, flu, flu-like illnesses) if you got the vaccine than if you didn't. Why doesn't the vaccine work? In order to understand the answer, you'll need to understand some specifics about the flu vaccine and a bit about how immunity works.
There is no single virus that causes the flu; there is no one flu vaccine that protects against all of them. A flu vaccine is designed to confer immunity against the strains of flu that are expected to be most common and most serious. The vaccine is a sort of one-size-fits-all solution, even though there are more types of flu than covered by the vaccine and the flu types vary according to region. It takes time to produce vaccines, so a new vaccine can't be instantly produced when a new type of flu starts to cause problems.
The Vaccine and Immunity
The flu vaccine gives your body parts of inactivated flu viruses. These virus parts correspond to parts of proteins floating around in your body. When the virus part contacts a chemical 'match', it stimulates the body to produce the cells and antibodies that can remove this particular intruder. Antibodies are proteins that float in body fluids and can bind to specific chemical markers. When an antibody binds to a substance, it essentially marks it for destruction by other cells. However, an antibody for one type of flu won't necessarily bind to a virus part from another type of flu. You don't get protection against other viruses. A flu vaccine can only stimulate your immune system to protect you against the viruses in the vaccine, with some lesser protection against very similar ones.
Incomplete Protection Against Intended Targets
You may not even get protection against the intended virus. Why? First, because viruses change over time. The piece that was in the vaccine may not 'look' the same (chemically) as the real thing (months later, after all!). Second, the vaccine may not have given you enough stimulation to fight off the disease.
Let's review what's happened so far: the inactivated virus piece has found a chemical match in your body. This causes an immune response, so your body has started to gear up its production of antibodies and similar markers on cells that can mark the virus for destruction or kill it outright. It's like calling up an army for a battle. Will your body win the fight when the real virus comes to call? Yes, if you have enough defenses built up. However, you will still get the flu if:
your body isn't fast enough producing a response
get the vaccine and get exposed to the flu too soon (less than 2 weeks)
too much time between vaccination and exposure (loses its effectiveness over time)
you don't produce enough of a response
overwhelmed by exposure to a high level of the virus
your body couldn't recognize the initial virus piece (determined by genetics)
your body didn't make enough antibodies/cells (common in older people or people with suppressed immune systems)
the virus as changed beyond your body's ability to recognize it
the part of the virus that was in the vaccine can't be detected by the body in the intact virus
Waste of Time?
Yes and no... the flu vaccine will be more effective some years than others. The CDC predicted that the vaccine developed for the winter of 2003/2004 wasn't going to be effective against most cases of the flu because the strains covered by the vaccine weren't the same as the strains that were common. Highly targeted vaccines work, but only against their targets! There's no point in accepting the risks of a vaccine for a disease you can't get. When the flu vaccine is on-target, it's more effective. Even then, the vaccine isn't perfect because it uses inactivated virus. Is that bad? No. A live vaccine is more effective, but much more risky.
Bottom line: The flu vaccine varies in effectiveness from year-to-year. Even in a best-case scenario, it won't always protect against the flu. The CDC study didn't say that the vaccine didn't work; it says the vaccine didn't protect people from getting sick. Even with imperfect effectiveness, the vaccine is indicated for certain people. In my opinion, however, the vaccine isn't for everyone and certainly shouldn't be required for otherwise healthy people.
Stop Worrying About the Flu
By Dr. Joseph Mercola
Like diehard fans camping out overnight to be the first in line for concert tickets to their favorite performer, people are waiting in long lines hoping to get the flu vaccine. Yes, it's that time of year -- flu season and the media and the government have stirred the public into complete panic mode. Headlines flood newspapers reading, "Vaccine shortage leads public crisis" and on the hour radio broadcasts are bombarding the public with reports that the flu epidemic is coming and there aren't enough vaccines to fight it.
Before You Run Out to Get the Flu Shot ... Do Your Homework
It's becoming increasingly difficult to separate facts from the hype created by the media and government officials. In order to make an informed decision of whether or not to get the flu shot, it is of utmost importance to do your homework. This involves doing thorough research of the safety issues surrounding the flu vaccination and then learning the preventative measures against getting the flu in the first place.
The Target Markets for the Flu Vaccine: Elderly and Children
Generally, the flu vaccine is recommended for people ages 65 and older and to those with serious medical conditions that could quickly worsen as a result of serious complications from the flu. Reports from medical journals widely vary in the effectiveness for the elderly, ranging from 0 to 85 percent.
The CDC reports that 90 percent of deaths from influenza occur among the elderly. These kinds of statistics make it nearly impossible to credit the flu vaccine for prolonging lives in this age group, as 65 percent of all deaths (regardless of the cause) happen among the elderly.
Further, there are potential dangers to the flu vaccine, particularly to the already vulnerable elderly population. Dr. Hugh Fudenberg, one of the world's leading immunogeneticists, states the chances of getting Alzheimer's disease is 10 times higher if an individual has five consecutive shots than if they have one, two or no shots. This is likely due to the thimerosol (a mercury-derived preservative) and aluminum content of the vaccine.
Recommendations to give flu vaccinations to children were adopted on March 1, 2003. These recommendations include vaccinating children between 2 and 18 years who live in households containing children younger than 2 years of age. The most common type of flu vaccine given to children is called Fluzone, with each dose containing 25 ug of mercury. CDC recommendations include administering the flu vaccine to children beginning at six months of age and then on an annual basis, for the rest of their lives.
Does the Flu Vaccine Really Work?
The flu vaccine can actually weaken the immune system and make you more predisposed to the illness.
The flu vaccine, whether in the shot or nasal form, is worthless at best and should be avoided. Not only are they loaded with toxic chemicals including mercury and aluminum, but many people come down with the flu shortly after receiving the shot. This is because it actually weakens the immune system, making the person more predisposed to the illness.
The Dangers You Need to Know About FluMist
First, it is important to familiarize yourself with the side effects of FluMist, which include cough, runny nose/nasal congestion, irritability, headaches, chills, muscle aches and fever. Ironically, all of these symptoms bear striking similarities to the symptoms of the flu.
In addition, research has shown an increased risk of Bell palsy following intranasal flu vaccination, according to the Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety (GACVS). http://www.who.int/vaccine_safety/en/ The makers of the nasal flu vaccine in the study decided not to market it the following season due to the risk. According to GACVS, the greater risk of Bell palsy following immunization with this vaccine may have been due to specific vaccine components, or simply to use of the intranasal administration route. It is therefore possible that such complications of vaccine administration may also apply to other nasal vaccines.
The new live-virus vaccine (FLUMIST), which is squirted up the nose, was licensed by the FDA in June 2003 for use in healthy individuals between the ages of five and 50. It is not recommended for pregnant women or those with asthma, chronic lung or heart disease; chronic underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney disorders; immune suppression or immune system problems; children or adolescents receiving aspirin therapy, anyone allergic to eggs; or those with a history of Guillain Barre syndrome. It should not be given simultaneously with other vaccines.
FLUMIST's vaccine live virus is shed after vaccination so the vaccinated are advised to avoid close contact with immune-compromised individuals for at least 21 days. Some hospital personnel are asking those recently vaccinated with FLUMIST to avoid visiting patients in hospitals to prevent the risk of transmitting the vaccine strain virus to sick patients.
We’ve only scratched the surface on this subject, but at least now you are getting closer to be able to make an informed decision. I realize many of your questions will still not be answered so don’t hesitate to ask.
The viruses that are used to prepare flu vaccine are grown in eggs.

Health Care Reform is Coming to You

2009-08-10T05:59:00.002-07:00

From the message I saw on a bumper sticker “The Republican Health Plan: Don’t get sick!” to the disruptive town hall meeting with Senator Tom Harkin http://harkin.senate.gov/ in Des Moines Iowa with a participant yelling “This is not health reform, this is control, control over our lives” ...and the many issues, emotions and miles in between...we are in for the ride of our lives with health care reform! Whether or not you are engaged in the ongoing debate, even if you don’t care....health care is coming to your town...and it is coming to you! The day will come when you will need it, so it is wise to start preparing now for that eventuality. One thing you can count on will be increased government control, intervention, and decision making without you. I empathize with the passionate outcry that this is very much about control over our lives. Without even knowing the outcome of the health care reform nightmare (which will take months to years to comprehend it all) it is possible to start now to take control of your life and your health.

The first and most important step is to take an honest self–assessment of your own health status. Are you healthy, do you understand your health risks, are your lifestyle choices threatening your health or are you proactively engaged in getting and staying healthy? All this will have a profound effect on your involvement in the emerging health care system. I hope you are preparing to be in control of your health and your life. To find out more on exactly how our government explains what is happening in health care reform visit the site:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/

To Vaccinate or Not?

2009-08-06T13:54:00.005-07:00

The H1N1 virus is just around the corner. It has already infected 100 countries and is expected hit with vengeance in the United States in five months as winter arrives. The United States is already preparing stock piles of two vaccines to prepare for the effects of these viruses.

You should give thought to this now rather than be forced into a panic driven decision process once the flu hits. Consider the facts that "Many childhood disorders such as autism, ADD/ADHD/ and SIDS have been linked to vaccines. Thousands of soldiers who served in the military have been severely disabled or in some cases even died after their mandatory shots.
Vaccines are the most controversial subject in all of medicine" International Vaccine Expert Dr. Sherri Tenpennuy http://sayingnotovaccines.blogspot.com/ (6-27-09). It appears that the subject of vaccinations is just as controversial within animal medicine.
It is also very interesting to note the concerns about vaccinations of animals expressed by an increasing number of veterinarians. Pebbles was an adorable female shitzu mix that lived to be approximately 27 years of age.
When questioned on a visit to the vet on her extraordinary life he quizzed me, "Let me quess, she's never been vaccinated." I replied: "That is correct." Malcolm, my current 12 year old male Lhasa Apso (much to my chagrin) had to be vaccinated several weeks ago in order to be boarded. He went lame in his hind quarter two hours after his vaccination. If the veterinarian community is distressed with the increased number of auto-immune diseases accompanying vaccinations why wouldn't we want to analyze the parallels that exist with human beings? Perhaps it would be wise to become informed about the facts to facilitate informed decisions on this important health care issue.

So, when should you vaccinate or not, and why? My objective is to stimulate your thinking on this subject. It is too important a subject to give you simple answers. Truly you deserve and should want more information. I want you empowered to make an informed decision because after all this is about your life...your health! Yes I have a strong opinion and you will be hearing about it in more detail...stay tuned!

Why is it We don't Like Doctors?

2009-07-04T10:46:00.001-07:00

It’s not that we really don’t respect and like even like doctors, it’s more the role the doctor now plays in an out of control health care system that has dramatically changed over the years. The whole process turns us off and generates mistrust. We want to feel confidence and security in the health care decisions that anyone is making in our behalf, but how can we truly feel secure? It seems to start with a whole system that disrespects the patient’s opinions, and expressions of fear, doubt or mistrust. No one likes the feelings generated with the insinuation you are inferior (or even worse stupid) because of an honest albeit simple question about your health, a prescription, surgical procedure, or symptom of an illness. It’s a need to want to be informed and we’ve abandoned the initiative to demand it. Why? Everyone truly believes or wants to believe their time is just as valuable as someone else’s time. When we allow health care professionals to not respect our time, especially when they are insensitive to this issue, we reinforce the belief that their time is more valuable than ours. WHY? Everyone resents being ignored or not patiently or carefully listened to and even more so when we are emotionally hurting or in physical pain. And we resist expressing those feelings. Why? Even worse when we absolutely know something is wrong with us and because of limited understanding and experience you get “There’s nothing wrong, it’s all I your head”. These are just a few of the reasons trust has been replaced with apathy and avoidance of health care professionals is rampant. We are experiencing intense insensitivity of an out of control health care system..

Many years ago there was a time when your doctor was just like a member of your family. He could be called upon in times of emergency, told the most intimate of personal details without fear of disclosure and could be counted on for concern and wise advice. He was depended upon as a mentor, healer, listener, and most of all a friend.

Our trust in the healing profession has all but vanished because it has become an intensely competitive and specialized battlefield. It is hard to find those who are truly care about the best interest of the patient. In addition we now face the cost factor that is annoying to most people and financially catastrophic in many instances. Considering all these concerns it is understandably common to ignore a problem hoping that it will go away. Unfortunately the human body is an amazing adaptive mechanism that is capable of multiple layers of compensating when we choose to ignore a problem.. Most problems are really warning signs and hence don’t really go away, instead they just go into hiding as we get more proficient at ignoring them. Then the day of reckoning appears and our visit to the healing professionals becomes a necessity. It would be very comforting to know at that time you could go to an attentive health advocate that you had confidence would take good care of you and give you unbiased, honest advice.

I believe it is time to pay much more attention and demand to be your own health advocate. Being informed on your own health, on the health care system, and treatment options, you will be much better prepared to make the best decisions for you and on your family’s behalf. This is the mission of health awareness mentoring. We believe in the empowerment of the individual to become your own health advocate. We want you to have the confidence to use us as a resource to educate you about health and wellness. When illness or those uncertain and unsettling health issues come along we want to have earned your trust so that you will have the confidence we will guide you in the right direction to recovery and back to health. We want the opportunity to develop a trusting and life long relationship that nurtures and empowers you and your family in a personal health advocacy process.

WHO DO YOU TRUST?

2009-07-04T10:43:00.001-07:00

As an adolescent I was treated by an unscrupulous dermatologist with an unproven skin treatment that left me with significant facial acne scarring. Years later I was treated both in the United States and in South America with massive doses of x-radiation. At that time it was an accepted methodology for the treatment of severe acne which years later was proven to be ineffectual and carcinogenic (predisposing to cancer). I think of the countless patient stories over the years where they have been victims of inadequate testing of pharmaceutical products, surgical or other procedures and suffered permanent debilitating damage and death. Then there have been the many patients who were recipients of “drug poisoning” from inadequate information on dosage or contraindications, and the “failed surgery syndromes” resulting in the patients’permanent pain worse than the pain before surgery. Add in the dishonest practitioners that promise “a cure”, take your money and run leaving the vulnerable behind empty handed. The horror stories of patients’ misfortunes oftentimes are overwhelming. When we feel powerless in controlling our own health care we can become overly paranoid and even dysfunctional. Frequently we choose to ignore facts with the rationalization that it happened to someone else but choose to believe the same would not happen to us. It matters to you when it happens to you, but unfortunately then it is too late.

My purpose here is not to cast blame on the inadequacies of a health care system or generate paranoia that intensifies mistrust of all health care professionals. My purpose is to stress the importance of personal accountability in your own health care and the decision making process that impacts your life. No one will take care of you like you take care of you. No one really values or appreciates your body like you do, or should. When it comes to making decisions about what to do to your body in its care, especially when done may have life long effects, why would you not take the effort and time to explore all options before making a decision.

REMEMBERING MICHAEL JACKSON

2009-06-27T15:13:00.005-07:00

I treated Michael Jackson. When I was an intern in a chiropractic/naturopathic clinic in Eagle Rock California in the 70’s, Michael Jackson’s mother brought him in for treatment. As I recall he was fourteen at the time. At that time I believe he was known as a member of the Jackson Five and it was before he went out on his own. What struck me about this boy was how incredibly shy he seemed to be. Whenever I say to people I was shy as a child I am looked at in total disbelief. They seem to find it hard to believe that I was ever shy. Interestingly enough, it remains even today. This is the part of me however that related to Michael Jackson. I immediately experienced empathy for him that I did not understand until years later.

Through much of my life I’ve known what it was like to feel alienated and alone even though surrounded by people. To me that seemed to epitomize Michael Jackson’s life. I did not really follow his career (check out the links below for more information about him), I just occasionally paid attention to him when one of his many hits grabbed my interest. I was particularly intrigued with “Thriller” and used it many times in Halloween productions over the years. My intention here is only to reflect on my observations of a boy that never really seemed to leave his childhood. He had the ability (because of his extreme and unusual circumstances brought about by fame and wealth) to create a surreal life. I believe he never did experience passage into adulthood as most of us know it. With the absence of the natural evolution that journey brings, he remained isolated and mostly lived in a world of his own. This is not atypical for very talented and creative individuals…and it can make an existence very lonely.

The search for meaning and purpose in life can be a very painful and lonely even amidst success, fame, and notoriety. I have a lot of compassion for anyone who struggles in their life to find true love, a sense of belonging, or true value for who you really “are” rather than what you bring to the table for someone else. I believe to be truly healthy we have to come to terms with many of these kinds of conflicts and issues. Oftentimes life passes us by before the realizations and resolutions come along. We are fortunate indeed when we have people in lives that not only unconditionally love us and recognize those struggles but also employ courage taking the time and energy (and it can take a tremendous amount of both) to help us through to stable ground. I would have wanted that for Michael Jackson.

Find out more about Michael Jackson by visiting these sites.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jackson

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001391/

EXERCISE AND YOU

2009-06-27T14:55:00.006-07:00

I am frequently asked “where do I get all my energy” and “how is it that I never seem to have a down day and always seem to be enthusiastic?” First of all these kind of questions make me laugh. You would laugh too living in my shoes because I have to work just as hard at it as you do. I would like to think that I am special and have been gifted with an unusual body that doesn’t respond to universal laws. In other words that I wouldn’t have to work at staying healthy and maintaining my energy and attitude like everybody else does. The truth is, I pay the price I get the benefits! If I violate natural laws, then I receive the negative consequences just like you do!

This body we have is the only vehicle we will have in this life to help us complete what it is we are here to accomplish. It is repairable but it is no replaceable. Wisdom dictates we take good care of ourselves so that we support rather than abuse our body’s ability to repair itself. The benefits come as the body rewards us with a better quality of life.

Relevant but not the topic of this message (and yet always relevant and endlessly worth the repeating) is the simple principle of nourishment for the body and the results: “garbage in” gives you “garbage out.” Let’s assume for now you are in touch with that first big step in the right direction (and we will be talking mountains about this) and you already respect and nourish your body with the food it needs. Next comes the effort to keep the body strong, flexible, and resilient in responding to life demands. I refer here to those efforts in your life that demonstrably fine tune your musculoskeletal structure. All systems in your body work synergistically so as you strengthen and tone the muscles, joints and soft tissues you simultaneously strengthen your cardiovascular, immune, hormonal, and nervous systems. That is why exercise is critical to get healthy and stay healthy. I believe the most important starting point in embarking on an exercise regimen (with the objective to keep it in place) is to take the time to discover what it is that you enjoy doing. I don’t care what anyone one says, if you don’t enjoy it…you won’t do it for long. We will be discussing in detail the many different type of exercise for strength training, increased flexibility, enhanced endurance, but you first want to get a feel for what feels right for you.

One person’s ambrosia is another’s poison. What I like you may not tolerate or even like. You must respect your individuality, your personality, your body type, your energy, physical limitation and demands. This is one of those spectacular opportunities for self -introspection to discover what it is that “turns your wheels”, and then find the courage to get to it! I have found that to maintain strength, flexibility, and the endurance I want I have to do quite a variety of things. The challenge is to determine what they are and then how you plan to fit them into your life. Believe me, once you understand the importance and the “magic” of the benefits, you will find the way to make it happen! I have had to do a great deal of experimenting to find out what I can do that challenges me, makes me stronger and most of all what I enjoy doing. I love to dance and I rarely miss and week without dance. Everything else is thrown in for variety and for the purpose of toning muscle and giving me more energy and increased flexibility. I strength train with weights and exercise bands for muscle tone, pilates, stretching and yoga for core strength and flexibility, and aerobics, biking, hiking and walking, (rarely running) for cardiovascular strengthening and endurance.

That is my formula for getting and maintaining energy. My formula for maintaining a good attitude is simple: “ others appreciate being around me much more when I laugh, sing, smile and reflect on the positive and encouraging rather than when I cry, complain, whine, and remain problem instead of solution focused”!

WHY I'M A HEALTH AWARENESS MENTOR - Have You Ever Asked Yourself What's Happening To Me?

2009-06-20T09:38:00.007-07:00

Have you ever asked yourself, how did I get where I am and what is it telling me where I am going? As I try to assess my life I acknowledge I am just like everyone else. We come into this life with a genetic framework that somewhat determines the journey our life is going to take. The color of our hair or in my case the absence of hair, our height, weight, color of our skin, predisposition to certain diseases, and the list goes on and on. The point is no one enters this life with a clean slate. There is a certain aspect of our lives that is already predetermined by our genes. I guess we could use that as excuse for going no where and doing nothing with our lives because in concept our physical makeup is already going to determine the outcome. However, then enters the next layer of intrigue…..our gifts, our talents, and our abilities. These seemingly intangible aspects of our being along with our personality seem to blossom without true comprehension of where they came from and why we have what we have. If that weren’t enough, then we add in the most intriguing dimension of all…our personal experiences. This rather interesting formula or pieces of the puzzle really do define who you are and furthermore dramatically states the fact there is not another person on the planet or for that matter anywhere else that is just like you.

You might say, “so what’? I’ve said it myself. And then, especially at times when I wasn’t feeling very good about myself, things were going all wrong, felt like no one loved me, or I wasn’t feeling well thrown in, I saw no purpose at all to my life. I do believe at one time or another this is a universal experience that we all get to feel. It can be chaotically cathartic, traumatic or just the opposite as a quiet awakening as to who we are, and what are meant to accomplish. My personal belief is that discovering our purpose(s) is one of the most important breakthroughs that we have in life, because that is something no one else can do for us. It is uniquely your own, discovered by you, and acted upon or not by you.

I won’t even pretend to completely understand what is happening in this world, why we are here, how each one of us fits into the big picture and where are we going, but I do know with certainty every one of us matters and plays a significant role. In our day most of us will be influenced or interact with many different people in constantly changing circumstances. If just one of those experiences changed or didn’t even exist that would change our day and perhaps even significantly change our life. We are here to influence and be influenced. What we do with that power and that understanding is the question!

Reviewing my own life, the frustration of this process has led me down many different and oftentimes emotionally painful roads in my attempt to figure out what it is that I should be doing with my life. I am sharing this with you to help you understand why I have been becoming a health awareness mentor for over 50 years. It is my observations as much as my personal experiences that keeps me frustrated, in awe, and motivated to understand how our health affects our journeys and the quality of our lives.

Actual Health, how we define and perceive our health, is at the core of the quality of our life. It permeates our lives and affects everything we do. This is why health and all its complex components is fascinating to me. This is why it is my purpose to guide people through a process of understanding their health. Just like your “unique genetic framework, personality, gifts, talents, abilities and experiences “ really do define you as person, it underlines the fact that your health and how you take care of it will be different from how anyone else views, reaches for or maintains their health. Like it or not you are on a unique journey. Why would you want to be put in a box with a label to be treated a certain way when you know for a fact no one else, lives in your body or can really comprehend what you experience. Only you know for sure how that feels or how and what you feel. With that in mind doesn’t it make sense that the one and only person who should be in control of your health “is You’! Herein lies the “magic of Health awareness mentoring”. It is the journey to understand your health, take responsibility for it and reap the benefits of being in charge of your own life.

YOUR BLOOD TYPE - A View of Health

2009-06-18T08:18:00.010-07:00

I am endlessly fascinated by the multi-dimensional aspects of every person’s health. As a chiropractic physician and Health awareness mentor I am continuously evaluating my patients health from many different perspectives. This week I had a very interesting conversation with a patient (actually these kind of conversations occur frequently). This is a female patient in her late twenties with a history of recurring health issues that have landed her in the emergency room many times in the last three years.

Multiple doctors and many tests have not been able to give a definitive diagnosis in most of these crises she has endured. Most the time she has had to just wait out the passing of her symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, strong headaches, constipation, and sinus pain.

I recently suggested she read the book “Eat Right 4 Your Blood Type” by Dr. Peter J.D’Adamo, www.dadamo.com/ and experiment with the diet recommendations for her specific blood type. (This is research I have embarked upon this past year which I have found to be very significant in many of my patients’ health status.)

Following my suggestions she started to eliminate a few: simple foods in her diet that according to her blood type where inflammatory to her digestive tract. In just two weeks she started noticing a significant improvement in her digestion, elimination, headaches and sinus problems and to her surprise had lost seven pounds. She admitted a profound difference in her health in an amazingly short period of time.

As we look at the true nature of health it is apparent that the nervous system, the circulatory system, the hormonal (endocrine) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endocrine_system system, the immune system, the digestive and elimination and our mental state are intimately and inextricably interrelated. No one doctor will have all the answers in all of these areas that is why specialization exists. My objective as a Health Awareness Mentor is to educate and empower individuals to take an honest and critical look at their own health.

Once this takes place you are more prepared to take action and explore the many options available to you to address any health concerns you have. I believe it is a universal law that no one will watch after your health and take care of you like you can take care of yourself. Obviously there are exceptions, but I am talking about the majority of us. I also believe as we learn to listen more carefully to what our bodies are telling us we will learn to recognize warning signs of approaching health problems.

The next step is to be courageous and choose not to ignore the warning signs so that we are able to address problems in the earlier and more manageable stages. This process puts each individual in much more control of their life and their health.

President’s Mandate for an Expeditious Health Care Reform is a Big Job!

2009-06-16T15:30:00.004-07:00

If there is any one issue that ranks high on the list of concerns for physicians it is the right to practice without excessive governmental intervention. The outcome of this issue directly affects both the doctor/patient relationship as it affects the doctor/insurance reimbursement relationship. At the core of this particular battle you will also see a “fight to the death” for the privilege of doctors to make medical decisions without governmental (bureaucratic) influence.

One thing is for sure, the totality of the necessary changes is huge with opposition on all sides. There will inevitably be changes that we are not going to like because it will entail difficult choices and compromises. This is an important time in our history because it will affect every citizen’s life. Please let us know what you think and to find out more about healthcare issues discussed at the White House check out his link:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/health_care/

NEVER TO LATE FOR A SPINAL TUNEUP

2009-06-16T13:37:00.004-07:00

When you care about your car, you take it to the shop for the tuneups it needs – oil changes, tire rotations, new brakes, etc. Your spine is no different. It needs a regular “tuneup” as well, complete with chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractic tuneups can serve three purposes:

1. Evaluate the state of your body, even if you have no pain.

Even people who feel fine have areas of their spine or extremities that are out of normal alignment. When we adjust those bones back into place, people feel better in some way. If we waited until we felt pain, we would all wait until we needed root canals or crowns before going to the dentist!
2. Address major or minor pains you currently have, but haven’t been too worried about.
Have you had any nagging discomforts or pains coming from your spine or extremities? Do these discomforts prevent you from doing the activities you enjoy? Instead of wondering if the pain will continue to get worse or stay that way for the rest of your life, give chiropractic a try. You don’t have to live with pain.
3. Prevent future problems that can and likely will arise from your joints being out of alignment and not functioning at 100 percent.

Our society is moving toward preventative health care. Chiropractic has been at the forefront of this concept since the chiropractic profession was founded in 1895. Arthritis, overuse injuries (like carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow), rotator cuff injuries and knee problems are just some examples of conditions that may be prevented with chiropractic care.

Scheduling chiropractic tuneups allows you to take care of your body so that your machine functions as well as it possibly can. Please remember to make time to care for yourself; you are worth every penny.

CALL ME TODAY FOR A SPINAL TUNEUP: (208) 888-7242.

CHIROPRACTIC RATED HIGHEST IN SATISFACTION FOR BACK PAIN IN CONSUMER REPORTS STUDY

2009-06-16T12:57:00.004-07:00

In April 2009 Consumer Reports released the results of a patient survey study, that was published in their May 2009 paper edition, showing that chiropractic rated highest among patients in satisfaction of relief of back pain. Results of the study were reported on in several news articles including an April 6, 2009 WebMD article and an April 8, 2009 CBS news story. The survey noted that 80% of US adults report having back pain some time in their life. Of those responding to the survey chiropractic received the highest grade with 59% saying that they were "highly satisfied" with their results. Physical therapy and acupuncture rated second and third with 55% and 53% respectively. In comparison, satisfaction with medical specialist and primary care medical physicians rated only 44% and 34% respectively. CBS News medical expert Dr. Jennifer Ashton commented that the results of this study reflect what she is seeing in her practice. She noted that back pain is the most common ailment in the country and it is difficult to treat. Dr. Ashton stated that her patients are looking elsewhere, "They're staying away from things like medication, prescription drugs and surgery." Dr. Ashton also warned against a "quick fix" to get rid of the pain. She noted, "A lot of times that's prescription narcotics, which is actually probably the worst thing for you." She also warned, "Surgery is another option, but one that should be used as a last resort." American Chiropractic Association President Glenn Manceaux, DC, responded in a press release, "For the treatment of back pain, few options are better than chiropractic. As shown in this latest survey, chiropractic spinal manipulation is an evidence-based and effective treatment for low-back pain and other musculoskeletal injuries. Coupled with the high levels of patient satisfaction, patients should turn to chiropractic as their first choice.” Dr. John Maltby, President of the International Chiropractors Association added, "For well over 100 years chiropractors have been seeing a large number of patients suffering with back problems. And although chiropractic does not directly treat the pain, we do work to correct the underlying structural and neurological problem that in many cases is causing the problem. This study shows what we have known for a long time. Chiropractic get results and helps people lead normal and healthier lives."

AMA Gives Obama Warm But Wary Reception

2009-06-16T06:53:00.000-07:00

In his highly anticipated speech to the American Medical Association, President Barack Obama said he wants the AMA onboard the healthcare reform train -- but he won't delay its departure if the AMA hesitates. http://www.medpagetoday.com/tbindex.cfm?tbid=14691
Read the article from Medpage Today and let me know your thoughts. My comments will follow.

President Obama Has Town Hall Meeting in Wisconsin on Health Care Reform

2009-06-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

With Congress working to pass legislation by early August, the once-improbable goal of significant health care reform stands a chance of becoming a reality. Here is a link where the most significant issues are summarized. There is certain to be intense and heated discussions as the negotiations move along.

President Obama lead a town meeting on his first visit to Wisconsin since the election. Wisconsin's health care system overall is among the most efficient in the country. But cost variations can be seen in the state.

Read the full article from the Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinel that was reported on June 10, 2009. http://www.jsonline.com/news/statepolitics/47732797.html

The Alternative Health Care Model and Health Awareness Mentoring

2009-06-14T18:23:00.000-07:00

So what do I mean by an alternative health care model? I mean a health care system where the primary focus is on prevention more so than on treatment of disease. We already have in place a huge health care model that addresses illness and disease. I am suggesting we start participating in a second health care model simultaneously focuses on us getting healthy and staying healthy. I differentiate between disease and the absence of good health as a process or phases of deterioration that the body goes through prior to disease actually showing up in our bodies. Without becoming too involved in that discussion for now let’s focus on a concept that prevention could very well be a wise way to manage our daily lives to better maintain more energy, strength, endurance, stress management and a positive attitude. With those elements in action in our lives we will be less susceptible to the predisposing factors of disease or poor health.

So how can you benefit by participating in an alternative health care model? Good health starts and remains constant with an attitude or disposition. Daily living brings us endless distractions on what we need and want to do in a single day. If thought is not given to what we are going to do in a day to improve or maintain our health, then actually almost with certainty nothing will be done and one more day will have passed by without a program in place to make that objective a reality. Inherently therein lays the heart of the alternative health care model. Think of it is from the inside out as opposed to the outside in. From with it starts with each of us honestly assessing our lives and our lifestyle and taking actions that clearly state we appreciate and honor our health. From the outside side in means we really don’t pay attention to our health until the disease process is already upon us forcing us to take action. Unfortunately and oftentimes it is then too late to regain our health. It’s about paying attention and taking action before a problem arises.

Life to Your Years’ objective is to create an awareness that will evolve into an understanding of the importance of our health in our lives. It’s like anything else of value in our lives that when taken for granted, true appreciation fades, apathy sets in and before long an asset becomes a liability. We start by paying attention to what is, assess the attributes and the deficits and then create a plan of action to get healthy and stay healthy.

Actually it sounds simple and if taken a step at a time it is simple. The challenge becomes to consistently stay on course, committed and consistent. How many times have you embarked on a diet to lose weight, undertaken a weight lifting or jogging routine or a specific nutritional regimen only to discover you ran out of motivation much sooner than you were willing to admit. That’s the reason for Health Awareness Mentoring. Health care and truly taking care of you is not a small task. The truth is you need a team that is working on your behalf to keep your current and focused on what needs to be done and how to prioritize your energy and efforts. It certainly would be very beneficial for you to know the most current and up to date information on what’s happening in the nutritional field, advancements in medical technology, legislative updates that affect your health, changes and updates in exercise physiology, and environmental and sociological issues that affect your health. This is the objective of Life To Your Years and health awareness.

Dottie Hines - Living Legend

2009-06-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

I am a very fortunate person to have many individuals come into my life and I feel that way about Dottie Hines. Dottie has worked with me for over twenty-five years growing strong and truly has become an amazing individual. She is very excited by my starting this blog and this new journey we are taking. I will let Dottie tell you in her own words:

"When you are able to be passionate about what you believe in, work then becomes a joy". Previous to my exposure to chiropractic I worked for over thirty-five years in the medical field in hospitals and for doctors. Having been associated with Dr.Sams for over twenty-five years now my career truly stands as a testament to him and chiropractic. This is where my heart is and where I belong.

Dr. Sams and I have a wonderful working relationship built on trust, respect and cooperation. Dr. Sams and I are in absolute agreement in philosophy and practices in how we treat our patients. We listen carefully and individualize treatment according to each patients unique circumstances and needs. In addition to the power of education we understand and utilize the power of laughter, empathy and compassion to help reach those goals the patient sets for themselves.

It is very common for patients to acknowledge that working with us they feel accepted, respected, and well taken care of as well as inspired to take better care of themselves. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve patients in such a healthy environment.

With each new patient that comes into our office they immediately sense the overall care and respect we have for them in being their health awareness mentor and advocate.

As we continue to grow I look forward to working with all our existing patients and welcome our new patients as well. I'm sure that you will have a wonderful experience in Dr. Sams care and sense the true meaning of a health awareness mentor.

"Approaching New Health Care System"

2009-06-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

We are going to want to know how we will fit into the new emerging health care system. I will briefly comment on how it is evolving and then introduce you to options you may want to consider.

Committees are currently feverishly crafting out with mandated deadlines from the President what health care is going to look like in the future. The President has requested deadlines for getting a new system in place as quickly as possible. This process is certainly a bipartisan nightmare because creating a system that basically makes everyone happy is virtually impossible. The complexity of creating a cooperative working agreement among the many special interest associated with health care is incredibly challenging to say the very least. The most basic issues and those that directly affect you as a consumer have to do with patient advocacy. Simply stated conservatives are unwilling to relinquish the right for you as a patient to choose your own health care providers and specialized procedures. This means they vehemently resist relegating health care decision making to the bureaucrats. A purely socialized medical health care delivery system as we see operational elsewhere in the world virtually eliminates those choices. We will be having an ongoing discussion as the details of the new rules and regulations unfold. We will be watching as well to see the inevitable legislation that will follow.

Since we are on the eve of a new Health care delivery system you might now want to pay attention to how that will affect you as patient. Whether or not you are currently dealing with any health issues this will be important to you. The reality of life is that it is just a matter of time (when, not if) everyone must deal with health issues. Being prepared for that reality will significantly reduce the associated stress, time and cost when it does occur. It is the American way to ignore any of this until the crisis hits and we literally find ourselves forced out of denial into action. Let’s consider a simple and sane approach to be prepared for the inevitable. Whether or not you like doctors and whether or not you are traditional or alterative health care oriented, it is wise to realize that medical doctors are and will continue to be even more in the future the entry gate into the health care delivery system. Being prepared in advance for when health issues do show up is going to be well worth your time. If at present you have not already done so, consider the importance of establishing you and your family with a physician that you like and with whom you have good communication. I call this a “comfortable rapport” that allows you as the patient without hesitation to ask questions. At the very minimum it will give you immediate access to emergency health care and hospitalization should the need arise. Becoming a partner in your own health care is going to be critical to maintain an excellent quality of life. As we talk more about you in the new health system we will continually be giving recommendations to help you feel more empowered as a consumer and certainly more in control of your health.

In future postings I will be focusing on an alternative health care model. We are going to be examining various alternatives to addressing health issues. We hope to expand your thinking on the subject and continue to empower you in your decision making.

A New Journey and a Welcome

2009-06-07T08:14:00.000-07:00

I want to welcome you to "Life to Your Years Chiropractic" health awareness blog. It is my expectation that by visiting this blog frequently you will discover that I am not your typical chiropractor and that I have an unusual and thought provoking approach to health care. As a health care provider I have been a practicing chiropractor and a health awareness mentor for over 25 years. My objective through this blog is to educate and inspire my patients to be responsible for their own health and happiness.

I have been frustrated with our current health care model because in our culture we are not conditioned to make our health a high priority. Health care is extremely expensive and yet not extremely effectual in addressing illness and disease because we wait until they are at our doorstep. My philosophy in health care is to inspire a proactive approach in understanding the components of health and then taking responsibility to maintain health and help prevent illness and disease...a much more rational and cost effective way to manage our health and our lives.

Even before I became a Chiropractor I had a fascination with the natural approach to health care. My journeys have exposed me to many different methodologies and alternatives to addressing health issues that exist side by side with traditional medicine. Many of these techniques and remedies previously considered ineffectual are now well researched by the medical community and accepted by mainstream medicine. This has been a very slow and painful process to bring these alternative practices to the public's attention.

I acknowledge that the human body is an amazing adaptive mechanism that science in all of its wisdom and advances is far from duplicating. I have witnessed for years that an "ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is just as true now as it has ever been. Understanding how to take care of our bodies and whenever possible avoiding unnecessary intervention allows the body (in its own wisdom and healing abilities) the greatest opportunity to heal itself without interference. I recognize that surgical procedures really don't allow you to undo what is once done. For these reasons, I recommend exploring the more conservative, non-invasive and non-toxic methodologies first.

The intention of this blog is to focus on the many different aspects of health, to inspire an interest in self-help, inform you of current health issues, to stay in touch with what is happening on the legislative arena that affects you and to examine various methodologies in addressing specific health concerns.

This blog is part of my website www.lifetoyouryearschiropractic.com that is being developed to become a one stop health information location that will not only educate you on the current health information but will also serve as a resource to explore options in locating a variety of health care practitioners.

Please join our community and visit us frequently on this fascinating health awareness journey.

I look forwarding to hearing from you.