MASSAGE AWAY STRESS & IMPROVE YOUR OVERALL HEALTH

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.

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CHIROPRACTIC CARE - WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN?

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

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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.

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Medicare Patients Give Chiropractic High Marks

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!

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

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.

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A HEALTHY INVESTMENT YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS.

New and Improved - Great Health and Benefits

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.

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

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!

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