How To Reduce the Need for Chiropractic Adjustments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

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?

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

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?

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?

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.