Dr Beecher’s August 22 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, August 22nd, 2011
Mental Attitude: Memory Restoration. Scientists have developed a way to turn memories on and off – literally with the flip of a switch. Using an electronic system that duplicates the neural signals associated with memory, they managed to replicate the brain function in rats associated with long-term, learned behavior. Researchers also showed that if a prosthetic device and its associated electrodes were implanted in animals with a normal, functioning hippocampus, the device could actually strengthen the memory being generated internally in the brain and enhance the memory capability of normal rats. The goal is to eventually create a prosthesis that might help Alzheimer’s disease, stroke or injury sufferers recover function. Journal of Neural Engineering, June 2011
Health Alert: Inaccurate Medical Claims! Claims-processing errors have increased by 2% over the last year to a
19.3% rate, wasting $17 billion annually. United Healthcare was best with a 90.2% accuracy rating. Anthem Blue
Cross Blue Shield, was lowest with an accuracy rating of 61.1%.
American Medical Association 4th annual National Health Insurer Report Card
Diet: Big Time Snacking. Snacking continues to increase among Americans, accounting for 25% of daily caloric intake. The average person “snacks” an extra 580 calories each day. Between 2006 and 2008, time spent eating primary meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner – remained consistent at 70 minutes. However, secondary eating doubled from 15 minutes each day in 2006 to nearly 30 minutes in 2008, and secondary drinking jumped nearly 90% from
45-85 minutes. Beverages account for 50% the calories consumed through snacking. Most people don’t equate beverages with calorie intake and are less likely to offset or take these calories into account.
Institute of Food Technologists, June 2011
Exercise: Muscle Up. How important is it to exercise your muscles? The human body has over 600 muscles accounting for 40% of the body’s weight. When exercised regularly, muscles are your primary mechanism of maintaining your metabolism, thus burning fat. Maintaining the flexibility of your joints and surrounding soft tissues allows muscles to function at their highest level. Gray’s Anatomy
Chiropractic: Simple Analogy. Spinal problems are like a cavity in your tooth: 1. They occur slowly over time.
2. Typically, they are without symptoms for some time. 3. They continue to progress. 4. They don’t go away on their own. 5. They eventually cause pain. 6. They can lead to more significant problems.
Wellness/Prevention: Smoking Raises Risk. Smokers had a higher risk of dying from prostate cancer, cardiovascular disease, cancer-recurrence, or from any cause compared to lifetime non-smokers. The longer the patient smoked, the higher his risk of dying from prostate cancer or cardiovascular disease. Men who had given up smoking for ten years had similar prostate cancer mortality risks as lifetime non-smokers.
Journal of the American Medical Association, May 2011
Quote: “A man should look for what is, and not for what he thinks should be.” ~ Albert Einstein
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.
Dr Beecher’s August 2011 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
“In great affairs men show themselves as they wish to be seen;
in small things they show themselves as they are. – Nicholas Chamfort
Do “wonder foods” with magical healing powers really exist?
Did Dr. Oz Really Say This Tiny Tibetan Fruit Is The “New Miracle Berry?”
DON’T BE FOOLED! Separate fact from miracle claim fiction and discover why one fitness author says
Dr. Oz and Oprah have sued over 50 companies…
Also in this issue:
Driving tips and suggestions to save money – especially this summer!
What to do if your cell phone gets wet.
Los Angeles Times Reports: “Ovarian cancer screening does more harm than good”
Plus, the incredible story of “NUBS”, the Middle Eastern war dog, and the loving soldier who saved him…
Houston – Miracle this! Amazing that! How many times have you heard about a “magical” plant that will instantly melt 50 pounds off your waistline – or cure you from any disease known to humankind?
There is always “proof” that this magical plant works because some culture or tribe or group of people living in some far off mystical land has been using it for centuries and they are all skinny, healthy and live to be 165 years old!
If this stuff is so good, why hasn’t everyone already heard about it? Because… it’s been hidden in that far off, mystical land!
Ah… the magic of advertising. You have to love how the magical cures are never found in someone’s backyard in Ohio. It’s always halfway across the world, usually in a rainforest.
Well, now there is a tiny Tibetan fruit that is claimed to help people lose weight without any other kind of diet of exercise.
The fruit is the sea buckthorn berry and advertisers are going crazy because it was mentioned on the Dr. Oz show.
Here’s what einnews.com had to say about the issue, “Sea buckthorn oil is a helpful antioxidant, but fitness author Rusty Moore warns us to be skeptical of some of the claims websites are making. Buzz was generated online after Dr Oz featured this ‘super food’ on his TV show. Dr Oz claims that sea buckthorn oil is a healthy supplement that aids in digestion and has antioxidant properties similar to Vitamin C.
“Online marketers have been using the endorsement of Dr. Oz to distribute sea buckthorn oil. In the past 3 years, Dr. Oz and Oprah Winfrey have sued over 50 companies who were using their endorsement without permission. Unfortunately, several companies were making exaggerated weight loss claims when it came to supplements Dr. Oz simply mentioned on his program.”
The same thing happened several years ago when Dr. Oz mentioned the Acai Berry was a good antioxidant and a useful supplement.
That mention was taken by advertisers and used as a personal endorsement for all kinds of wild claims.
What’s the bottom line with all this?
Obviously, some foods are better than others. Some are more nutrient dense with building blocks your body can use, while others are not.
You want to eat as many positive nutrient dense foods as possible.
Obviously, comparing Sea Buckthorn to a Chicken Nugget – the Sea Buckthorn is a relative miracle food.
But, so is an apple given the same comparison.
The reality check is this: You must eat good food, exercise and reduce stress CONSISTANTLY TO ACHIEVE AND MAINTAIN REAL HEALTH.
This includes losing weight and keeping it off.
There are right ways to do things that work better than others, but there are no shortcuts.
There is no magical plant from a mythical far away land that will turn you into Superman or Superwoman.
Both Acai and Sea Buckthorn are most likely good for you and can help your body get the nutrients it needs to function properly, but don’t expect a miracle. Miracles happen from doing the right thing long enough.
Waist Size Predicts Heart Attack
Death Better Than Weight
Doctors have been pointing the finger at obesity as a major cause of many deadly diseases – including heart disease – for a long time.
Now, according to an article on Health.com, “Several studies have found a high body mass index is associated with a lower risk of dying from heart disease and other chronic illnesses – a mysterious phenomenon that has come to be known as the ‘obesity paradox.’”
Some experts think the paradox is caused because body mass index – or BMI – is flawed. BMI is a ratio of height to weight used to determine obesity. According to the article, waist size provides a far more accurate way to predict a heart patient’s chances of dying at an early age from a heart attack or other causes.
“Ovarian cancer screening does
more harm than good, study shows”
No matter what many people think, modern medicine is NOT an exact science.
The sheer number of treatments and medications that are abandoned or taken off the market every year makes this point very obvious.
Now, according to an article in the Los Angeles Times, “An 18-year study from the National Cancer Institute has found widespread screening for ovarian cancer doesn’t save lives but does set up many women for needless surgery and avoidable complications.
“The results, published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., were not a complete surprise, according to study co-author Dr. Christine Berg of the National Cancer Institute. Still, experts are disappointed that yet another attempt to catch cancer early has failed to help patients beat the disease.”
Ovarian cancer ranks in the top 5 cancers that kill women. An estimated 21,880 American women will be diagnosed with the disease this year and 13,850 will die from it, according to the American Cancer Society. Five years after diagnosis, fewer than half — 46% — will still be alive.
The article stated women should be aware of certain symptoms associated with ovarian cancer, including persistent bloating, abdominal pain, and changes in bladder or bowel function (for more information, go to http://www.cancer.org and search for ovarian cancer symptoms). Although such symptoms are not specific to cancer, they should still be checked out.
To all of our patients who wish to read our monthly newsletter and weekly health news updates online, we have 2 options.
You can go to BeecherChiropractic.com/blog
or
www.facebook.com/BeecherChiropractic
Inspirational Story Of The Month –
(Names And Details Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
“Nubs”
The Greatest Acts Of Love And Kindness Often Happen
During The Worst Possible Circumstances
War is hell. It would be hard to find anyone to disagree with that.
But, there must be some people who enjoy them – or they would cease to exist.
As history has shown us… over and over again… some of the most beautiful acts of kindness and compassion have come from the most brutal of circumstances.
They say great athletes need great competition to really show the world how great they are.
Well, Brian Dennis needed the Iraq war and Nubs to show the world how great he really is.
You see, Brian Dennis is a Major in the United States Marines.
While in Iraq, he came across a dog wandering the desert.
He named the skittish dog “Nubs” because his ears had been chewed off and looked like little nubs.
As the story goes, Brian and Nubs clicked right away.
Animals… especially dogs… know a good person when they meet one.
Brian shared his dinner with Nubs. Nubs returned the favor by staying with Brian on his post, helping keep his patrol safe.
The next day, Brian had to leave.
As he drove away, Nubs chased furiously after his Humvee for as long as he could. Nubs was left behind. When Brian and the Marines came back months later, they found Nubs severely injured.
The Marine medics worked on Nubs and patched him up.
The next day, when Brian and the Marines left again, an injured Nubs chased after them as long as he could, but again, was left behind.
Two weeks later, Brian came back and worked on Nubs some more, but once again he had to leave.
This time Nubs didn’t give up.
Nubs, still injured and limping, walked 70 miles across the desert and found where Brian was stationed.
It took him two days, without food or water.
Brian broke the rules and kept Nubs. He even built him a dog house at the Command Post.
Then, the dream ended. Two soldiers who were not part of Brian’s group reported him for having Nubs. Brian had four days to get rid of his dog.
Brian came up with a plan to ship Nubs to his family in San Diego, but needed $2,000. He emailed his family and friends and they all chipped in and saved Nubs!
Now, Nubs lives like a king with Brian in San Diego, California. Nubs has been on several talk shows and is a real celebrity.
It’s hard to tell who is the real hero – Nubs or Brian.
Maybe it’s best to call it a tie!
We wanted to introduce to you how great Brian and Nubs are, but to hear the full story and show your love and support for them, go to www.thestoryofnubs.com.
We highly recommend you buy the book. It is very inexpensive and it is an investment in a wonderful cause.
Did You Know?
One of the pitfalls of pursuing a healthy diet is that we can eat well and easily miss an important nutrient. In the world of healthy eating, one of the most common nutrient deficiencies is Vitamin B-12, a crucial nutrient for nerve health and the construction of red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout your body. Vitamin B-12 deficiency is especially common among vegetarians and vegans, but it’s also common in meat eaters, too. Why? Because Vitamin B-12 can only be absorbed in the small intestine, and due to common intestinal ailments, even many meat eaters who consume high levels of B-12 are unable to absorb it in their gut.
This leads to a series of “mystery” health symptoms that actually have a simple common cause: Vitamin B-12 deficiency!
Here are some of the most common symptoms of deficiency: *Chest pain or shortness of breath * Fatigue or unexplained weakness * Dizziness, trouble with balance, and fainting * Confusion, memory loss or dementia * Coldness, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet * Slow reflexes or diminished nervous system function * Pale skin or yellowing of the skin * Sore mouth and tongue.
The proper form of Vitamin B-12 to supplement your diet is methylcobalamin. This is a form that exists in nature, and it is pre-methylated, meaning it’s ready for your biochemistry to put to immediate use.
Tip Of The Month
Driving Tips And Tactics To Save Money, Especially This Summer.
It’s extremely painful. We’re not talking about a root canal gone bad. Not even close. It’s another visit to the gas pump… When it costs over $60 to fill up a Honda Accord – you know things are bad. The price of gasoline is draining bank accounts and many experts say there is no relief in sight. Some say the answer is to get a new, fuel efficient car. That sounds all fine and dandy, but you have to do a little math to see if it works. For example, one of the new high mileage economy cars will cost you $20,000 – $25,000. How long is it going to take you to make your money back with your Miles Per Gallon (MPG) savings? Probably years.
So, here are some money saving tips from Popular Mechanics: (1) Coast to a stop – Popular mechanics tested and found the less you use your brakes, the better your fuel economy. They said anticipating a red light and coasting vs. hitting the accelerator and then using your brakes at the last second made a huge difference. (2) Do not accelerate too slowly! This goes against what most of us believe. Cars get poor gas mileage in low gears and tests showed taking 15 seconds to get to 50 mph got better gas MPG than taking 30 seconds to reach the same speed. (3) Use your air conditioning!!! Another urban myth gets destroyed. When you drive on the highway, roll up your windows and use the AC. The wind resistance caused by the open windows causes MPG to decrease and the faster you go, the worse it gets.
There are 3 more tips waiting for you at: http://autos.yahoo.com/news/6-driving-tactics-to-save-gas-this-summer.html?page=all
What To Do If Your Cell Phone Gets Wet…
Do not turn it on. Pull out the battery and SIM card. If you dropped it in salt water, rinse it in fresh water. Dry your phone using compressed air – the kind used to clean computer keyboards. Cover your phone with uncooked rice for at least 24 hours (this draws out the moisture). Turn your phone back on. You might want to say a little prayer first
Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal
and maintain the health you deserve.
This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history. We cannot be held responsible for actions you may take without a thorough exam or appropriate referral. If you have any further concerns or questions, please let us know at 281-286-1300.
Dr Beecher’s August 15 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
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WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, August 15th, 2011
Mental Attitude: Testing Improves Memory. A study found with retrieval practice (in this case, recalling a word in English and its Lithuanian equivalent), every aspect of memory gets substantially better including “target memory” – specific recognition; “cue memory” – the stimulus that evinces the memory; and “associative memory” – the relationship between things. Association for Psychological Science, June 2011
Health Alert: Social Factors And Death. Social factors can be linked to death as readily as can patho-physiological and behavioral causes. These social factors contribute substantially to the burden of disease in the US: education, poverty, health insurance status, employment status and job stress, social support, racism or discrimination, housing conditions and early childhood stressors. Area-level social factors included area-level poverty, income inequality, deteriorating infrastructure, crime and violence, social capital and availability of open or green spaces. The numbers:
245,000 deaths in the US are attributable to low education, 162,000 to low social support, 133,000 to individual- level poverty, 119,000 to income inequality and 39,000 to area-level poverty.
American Journal of Public Health, June 2011
Diet: Olive Oil! Consuming olive oil may help prevent strokes in older people. After considering diet, physical activity, body mass index and other risk factors for stroke, the study found those who regularly used olive oil for both cooking and as a salad dressing had a 41 percent lower risk of stroke. Olive oil has been associated with protective effects against many cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity. American Academy of Neurology, June 2011
Exercise: High Blood Pressure In Young People? 20% of young American adults may have high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure have a much higher risk of stroke and heart disease, the leading cause of death among adults in the US. It is also a condition that often shows no signs or symptoms, and many otherwise healthy people who have it first find out when a health professional measures their blood pressure. The findings are significant because they indicate many young adults are at risk of developing heart disease, but are unaware they have hypertension. Epidemiology, May 2011
Chiropractic: Chiropractic First For Back Pain. “For patients with low back pain in whom manipulation is not contraindicated, chiropractic almost certainly confers worthwhile, long-term benefits in comparison with hospital outpatient management.” British Medical Journal, 1990
Wellness/Prevention: Watch Your Weight At 18. Men who had the highest Body Mass Indices (being overweight or obese) at age 18 were 35% more likely to die from cancer later in life. The link is apparent even if they reduce their weight during middle age. Medical Research Council, June 2011
Quote: “In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments – only consequences.” ~ Robert Ingersol
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.
Dr Beecher’s August 8 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, August 8th, 2011
Mental Attitude: Cheer Up! 10% of middle-aged Europeans took antidepressants in 2010. The probability of taking an antidepressant is greatest among those middle-aged, female, unemployed, with low levels of education, and divorced or separated. This pattern is consistent with the recent finding across the world that happiness and mental health follow an approximate U-shape through life (mid-life crisis). University of Warwick, June 2011
Health Alert: No Safe Amount! The blood-alcohol limit may be 0.08% when driving, but no amount of alcohol seems to be safe. This study examined official data from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System. The researchers used FARS because it is nationally comprehensive, covering all US counties, all days of the week and all times of day, and reports on blood-alcohol content in increments of 0.01. Accidents are 36.6% more severe even when alcohol was barely detectable in a driver’s blood. Even with a BAC of 0.01, there are 4.33 serious injuries for every non-serious injury versus 3.17 for sober drivers. Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2011
Diet: Slow Gains? An average adult gains one pound per year. Small changes in diet, consumption of beverages, physical activity, watching TV, and sleep duration were most strongly linked to long-term weight gain. The idea of “eat less and exercise more” may be too simplistic a weight-loss strategy, as it is the quality of food that matters most and making a handful of small, targeted changes is likely to be most effective.
New England Journal of Medicine, June 2011
Exercise: Kids Not Making Grade! Only a small percentage of youth meet the objective for aerobic and muscle- strengthening activities as outlined in the Healthy People 2020 physical activity guidelines. The data revealed 15.3% of students met the aerobic objective, 51% met the muscle-strengthening objective, and only 12.2% met both objectives. US Centers For Disease Control And Prevention
Chiropractic: Safe For Neck Pain? For the treatment of neck pain, cervical manipulation is much safer than the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) – which are often used as the ‘conventional’ first-line treatment for similar musculoskeletal conditions – by “a factor of several hundred times.”
Journal of Manipulative Physiotherapy, 1996
Wellness/Prevention: Bone Up With Blueberries. Compounds in blueberries might have a powerful effect on the formation of strong, healthy bones. Studies with rats suggest polyphenols, the compounds that give blueberries their blue, purple, and red coloration, might aid in building strong bones. Animals fed rations containing 10% freeze-dried blueberry powder had significantly more bone mass than their counterparts whose rations were blueberry-free. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2010
Quote: “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.” ~Thomas Edison
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.
Dr Beecher’s August 1 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, August 1, 2011
Mental Attitude: City Living And Stress. Being born and raised in a major urban area is associated with greater lifetime risk for anxiety and mood disorders. Two distinct brain regions that regulate emotion and stress are affected by city living. Risk for anxiety disorders is 21% higher for city people, who also have a 39% increase for mood disorders.
Nature, June 2011
Health Alert: Out-Of-Pocket! Roughly 1 of every 6 Americans age 18-64 reported using more than 10% of their total family income to pay for health insurance premiums and out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2010
Diet: Fat Substitutes? Fat substitutes used in snack foods to help people control weight may have the opposite effect. Substitutes are meant to mimic the taste of fat, while providing fewer calories, but they confuse the body. When rats consumed a fat substitute, learned signals that could help control food intake were disrupted, and the rats gained weight. Tastes normally alert the body to expect calories, and when those calories aren’t present we believe the systems become ineffective and the body’s mechanisms to control food intake can slow.
American Psychological Association, June 2011
Exercise: Exercise Pays Again! Brain cancer patients who are able to exercise live longer than sedentary patients. In a population of patients with advanced recurrent gliomas (lethal brain malignancies that result in a median life expectancy of less than 6 months), those who exercised – the equivalent of an energetic walk five days a week for 30 minutes – had significantly prolonged survival, living a median 21.84 months vs. 13.03 months for the most sedentary patients.
Journal of Clinical Oncology, June 2011
Chiropractic: Soft Tissue Issue? Most patients think chiropractors work on bone, when in fact we use the bones as levers to pull the muscle quickly to help it relax. Here is an example of the profound effects that can be derived from manipulating muscle. Lorraine Clapham, a physiotherapist, discovered that manually moving muscles in the faces of patients with ‘dead’ nerves helped maintain muscle metabolism and prevent wastage. Such movement could help patients struck by a syndrome or who had undergone surgery make a quicker recovery.
Journal of Laryngology & Otology, June 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Marijuana Smokers, Think About It. Long term, heavy marijuana use affects peoples’ impulsivity, attention, memory, cognition and decision-making abilities. Marijuana users have a blunted response to losing while gambling. They don’t figure out a strategy to avoid losses and this is associated with a decreased functional brain response to negative information that guides non-users to make safer choices. The bottom line is: they don’t care as much if they lose. Psychiatry Research, January 2011
Quote: “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.
Dr Beecher’s July 25 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, July 25th, 2011
Mental Attitude: Depression And Negative Thoughts. We all have ups and downs (a fight with a friend, a divorce, the loss of a parent, etc.). Most people get over it, while some people go on to develop major depression. People with depression get stuck on bad thoughts because they’re unable to turn their attention away… they keep going over their troubles. Even though they know better, they can’t stop doing it. Association for Psychological Science, June 2011
Health Alert: Energy Drinks? Energy Drinks contain stimulants, such as taurine, guarana and caffeine. Caffeine has been associated with several damaging effects on children’s cardiovascular and developing neurologic systems. Energy drinks are totally unsuitable for children and teenagers. In most cases, the main source of hydration for children should be water. American Academy of Pediatrics, May 2011
Diet: Watch Your Diet, New Super Sticky Cholesterol? MGmin-low-density lipoprotein (LDL), a form of ultra- bad cholesterol that significantly increases the risk of heart disease, has been discovered at the University of Warwick, England. MGmin-LDL is much stickier than normal LDL and is more common among elderly individuals, as well as those with type-II diabetes. It attaches to the walls of arteries more readily, where it forms fatty plaques
that cause coronary heart disease. As the plaques grow, the arteries become narrower, resulting in reduced blood flow. The artery can eventually rupture and blood clots can form, raising the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Diabetes, May 2011
Exercise: PE? Despite state requirements that middle and high school students get 400 minutes of PE every 10 days,
1.3 million – 38% of all adolescents in California public schools – do not participate in any school-based PE classes. Contributing to the decline are cuts to PE programs and exemptions allowing high school students to skip up to 2
years of PE. The proportion of teens participating in PE drops with age, from 95% at age 12 to 23% at age 17.
UCLA, June 2011
Chiropractic: Workers’ Compensation And Chiropractic Care. A recent study concluded chiropractic care to be more effective for common, work-related low back pain when compared to treatment by a physical therapist or physician. Overall, chiropractic patients had lower medical expenses, fewer disability recurrences and shorter initial periods of disability. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, April 2011
Wellness/Prevention: Better Workout Results In Cup. One way to enhance the effects of your workout and the integrity of your muscle physiology is by consuming a protein drink (containing as little as 20g of protein) after each workout. American Societies for Experimental Biology, June 2011
Quote: “To succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” ~ Bill Cosby
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.
Dr Beecher’s July 18, 2011 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Weekly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, July 18th, 2011
Mental Attitude: Personal Experience Makes A Difference. Decisions involving risk depend on how we get the information about the potential risks and rewards. Researchers found if people experienced wins and losses first hand, like in a casino, they behaved differently than when told the odds. PLoS ONE, June 2011
Health Alert: Sick Hospital Stats, Stay Healthy! 12% of hospital stays were readmissions within 30 days of a previous stay! 7% of hospital stays were readmissions within 14 days of their previous stay.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Diet: Pre-Diabetic? Start Eating More Fruit. 79 million people in the US have prediabetes, defined as blood glucose levels that are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. We would fare better by eating more fruit while reducing grains, breads and refined carbohydrates. Lumping fruit into the category of carbohydrates is confusing. Fruits are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber and filled with water that allows better absorption of their natural properties. Glycemic index is significantly altered by the type of food, its ripeness, processing, the length of storage, cooking methods and its’ variety. Watermelon has a glycemic score of 100-which is identical to heavily processed and nutrient poor white bread. Since fruit is very high in water and naturally occurring fiber, the digestion time of any naturally contained sugars is slowed significantly. The natural water and fiber content of fruit actually causes a slow release of sugar into the bloodstream, unlike the instant sugar impact of no-fiber, high-chemical, heavily processed white bread. CDC
Exercise: Exercise and Brainpower. Exercise boosts blood flow to the brain and helps it receive oxygen and nutrients. The better shape you’re in, the faster you may think. So, if math is a problem, you may find that daily exercise helps to solve it! Mayo Clinic
Chiropractic: Early Chiropractic Concepts. Displacement of any part of the skeletal frame may press against nerves, which are the channels of communication, intensifying or decreasing their carrying capacity, creating either too much or not enough functioning, an aberration known as disease. The nature of the affection depends upon the shape of the bone, the amount of pressure, age of patient, character of nerves impinged upon and the individual makeup. DD Palmer (1845-1913)
Wellness/Prevention: A Simple Wellness Exercise. List 5 things you do that are keeping you healthy. List 5 things you do that you could improve upon to maintain your health.
Quote: “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” ~ Jesse Owens
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.
Dr. Beecher’s July 11th, 2011 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, July 11th, 2011
Mental Attitude: Thinking With Your Hands. Being able to use your body in problem solving alters the way you solve problems. In an experiment, the people who were allowed to gesture usually did so-and they also commonly used perceptual-motor strategies in solving puzzles. The people whose hands were restrained, as well as those who chose not to gesture (even when allowed), used abstract, mathematical strategies much more often.
Association for Psychological Science, May 2011
Health Alert: Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes is the seventh biggest cause of premature death in America. 1.9 million were diagnosed with diabetes last year. About half of all seniors (65+) have pre-diabetes. In 2010, the CDC predicted that 1 in 3 adults will have diabetes by the middle of this century. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age, excess weight, a family history of the disease, and with lack of activity. An individual with diabetes has a higher risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure), amputation of feet and legs, kidney failure, blindness, strokes, and heart attacks. Diabetes carries a $174 billion cost a year, of which $116 billion are direct medical expenses. CDC, May 2011
Diet: Malnutrition In Elderly. Femur neck fractures are a predominant cause of hospitalization among people over
- They result in an end to independent living for 60% and death within six months from surgery for 30%. In terms of generally recognized lower limits for sufficient nourishment, 66% fell short of lymphocyte levels, 21% of albumin
levels and 10% of protein levels. European Federation of National Associations of Orthopedics and Traumatology
Exercise: Don’t Forget Water. The more intense your training session, the more heat your body produces. Before you exercise, drink water to help your body compensate for sweating. You can drink more water during exercise if you’re thirsty. Mayo Clinic
Chiropractic: It Starts Early In Life. “Research indicates that the major cause of spinal subluxation in infants is childbirth. I stress the need for correction from birth so that irreversible subluxation degeneration changes do not occur. Nervous system injury through cervical spine trauma at birth causes abnormal function, abnormal behavior, and perhaps early death (SIDS).” ~Abraham Towbin, MD, PhD, Pathologist Harvard University
Wellness/Prevention: Green Tea Please. A beneficial compound found in green tea, a polyphenol called EGCG, has a powerful ability to increase the number of “regulatory T cells” that play a key role in immune function and suppression of autoimmune disease. This compound has shown to help control inflammation, improve immune function and prevent cancer. Pharmaceutical drugs perform similar roles but they have problems with toxicity. Natural food products may provide a long-term, sustainable way to accomplish this same goal, but without toxicity. Immunology Letters, May 2011
Quote: “Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.” ~ George Washington
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.
Dr. Beecher’s July 4th, 2011 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, July 4th, 2011
Mental Attitude: Suicidal Teens And Eating Disorders. Teens 13-18 years old suffering from anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders are more likely to suffer from suicidal thoughts, anxiety disorders and substance abuse. 0.3% of the teens surveyed reported suffering from anorexia nervosa and 0.9% from bulimia nervosa. A full 1.6% suffered from binge eating disorder. One third of those with bulimia actually attempted suicide. 15% of those with binge eating had and about
8% of those with anorexia had attempted the same. 55-88% of teens with eating disorders also reported such problems as anxiety, depression, or a behavioral disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, May 2011
Health Alert: Uninsured Unable To Pay Hospital Bills. 50 million Americans are uninsured. Most uninsured people have virtually no savings, half with less than $20 net worth. Half of families with income at 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, or $89,400 a year, have financial assets below $4,100. Every year, 2 million uninsured Americans are hospitalized, with 58% of these hospital stays resulting in bills of more than $10,000. US Dept Health and Human Services, May 2011
Diet: Weight Management Tips. 1.Fruit. Fruit contains vitamins, antioxidants and fiber. Consumption of fiber is associated with lower body weight and gives a feeling of fullness. 2. Keep hydrated. Feeling tired or hungry? You may just be thirsty. Drink at least 6 glasses of water a day. Water helps your body transport nutrients and eliminate toxins. 3.
Close the kitchen. When you finish a meal, clean the dishes and turn off the lights. Tell yourself the kitchen is now closed.
Family Features, April 2011
Exercise: Exercise and Colds. Regular exercise helps jump-start the immune system, thus helping to reduce the number of colds, flu and other viruses. Mayo Clinic, May 2011
Chiropractic: The Nervous System Connected To The Immune System? The neurotransmitter norepinephrine is present in sympathetic nerve fibers that innervate lymphoid organs and act on the spleen. Norepinephrine in lymphoid organs plays a significant role in the regulation of the immune system. Stressful conditions lead to altered measures of immune function, and altered susceptibility to a variety of diseases. Many stimuli, which primarily act on the central nervous system, can profoundly alter immune responses. The two routes available to the central nervous system are neuroendocrine channels and autonomic nerve channels. The Chiropractic Research Journal, 1994
Wellness/Prevention: Minutes Of Exercise A Day Can Keep The Pain Away. As little as 2 minutes of exercise a day can reduce pain and tenderness in adults with neck and shoulder problems. After 10 weeks, the 2-minutes-per-day exercise group experienced significant reductions of neck and should pain (decreased 1.4 points out of 10) and tenderness (decreased 4.2 points out of 32). The 12-minutes-per-day exercise group had slightly larger reductions in pain and tenderness (an extra .5 and .2 points, respectively). American College of Sports Medicine, May 2011
Quote: “Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.” ~ Lance Armstrong
This Weekly Health News Update is compliments of Dr. Ward Beecher and Beecher Chiropractic Clinic. If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at 281-286-1300 or www.BeecherChiropractic.Com.
Dr Beecher’s July 2011 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
“Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense” ~ Gertrude Stein
WARNING HEART PATIENTS:
Should You Take These Popular
Over-The-Counter Pain Medications
After A Heart Attack?
Study Concludes – Heart patients who used common pain relievers called NSAIDs, even briefly, are at much higher risk of having a repeat heart attack or of dying than those who stay away from the drugs, which include such widely used over-the-counter medications as ibuprofen and naproxen
Plus…
- Study shows the simple formula for kids’ academic success – and it is NOT spending more time in the classroom!
- What type of exercise is best? Scientists say it’s good for your mind and body to “feel the burn.”
- Research: Getting the wrong amount of sleep can age your brain by up to SEVEN YEARS!
- A simple way to get better results from any weight loss program.
- And the story that shows how local heroes create heroes!
| H |
ouston – Many visionary health care providers warned about it. Most laughed it off. Now, the research is really piling up and the evidence is getting too strong to ignore.
Back in July 1998, The American Journal of Medicine reported, “Conservative calculations estimate that approximately 107,000 patients are hospitalized annually for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-related gastrointestinal (GI) complications and at least 16,500 NSAID-related deaths occur each year among arthritis patients alone. The figures of all NSAID users would be overwhelming, yet the scope of this problem is generally under-appreciated.”
From the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine: “If deaths from gastrointestinal toxic effects from NSAIDs were tabulated separately in the National Vital Statistics reports, these effects would constitute the 15th most common cause of death in the United States. Yet these toxic effects remain mainly a ‘silent epidemic,’ with many physicians and most patients unaware of the magnitude of the problem.
Furthermore, the mortality statistics do not include deaths ascribed to the use of over-the-counter NSAIDS.”
A New Study Warns
Heart Patients About NSAIDs
According to the Elsevier Global Medical News, “For patients with a history of myocardial infarction, any length of treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs poses an unacceptably high risk for death or recurrent heart attacks, based on findings from a Danish study using hospital and pharmacy registry data and published online May 9 in Circulation.
The risk elevation began during the first week of therapy and continued throughout the course of treatment, with some differences in the magnitude of risk between NSAIDs.”
The authors stressed the results of the study are not in line with the American Heart Association recommendations regarding NSAID treatment in patients with established cardiovascular disease “because we demonstrate that even short-term NSAID treatment is associated with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with prior MI,”
The article also stated, “Despite some limitations of the study, namely the observational design and the possible effects of information bias, and the need for randomized clinical studies… The accumulating evidence suggests that we must limit NSAID use to the absolute minimum in patients with established cardiovascular disease.”
You Are Probably Taking NSAIDs
And Do Not Even Know It
Estimates say that over 30 billion over the counter tablets and 70 million prescriptions are sold annually in the United States alone.
NSAIDs include Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Advil, and Motrin as well as prescription products like Celebrex, Daypro and more.
Is There A Better Pain Solution?
One of the principles of medicine is, “first do no harm.” In other words, make sure the treatment is not worse than the original problem.
That’s why, if at all possible, conservative natural options should always be looked into before more invasive and chemical treatments are used.
Chiropractic care has been helping patients relieve pain naturally, without the deadly side effects of NSAIDs since 1895.
As research and proof piles up – and so do the deaths – Chiropractic care becomes the intelligent, obvious choice.
Simple Formula For Kids’
Academic Success
Poor academic achievement has caused school systems to add more classroom time, in many cases, at the expense of physical education.
However, new research shows this may be hurting students’ performances.
A physical activity program that incorporated academic skills was instituted at a public school in Charleston, South Carolina. Students in grades 1-6 were scheduled for daily physical education. State standardized reading test scores were collected for both the academic year of program initiation and the following year.
The results showed statistically significant higher test scores for those students in the group with the physical activity program versus those without it at other schools in the same district.
What Type of Exercise Is BEST?
What type of exercise is best? Well, that all depends on what results you are looking for.
For example, researchers studied 11 people who were asked to take part in two 20-minute long workouts; one moderately intensive and one highly intensive.
The participants’ moods were recorded before, during, and after the workouts.
Results: They found no mood improvements after moderate exercise. However, participants in the group that did strenuous exercise claimed to feel more positive 20 minutes after the workout.
The strenuous workout got them breathing heavily and their muscles burning.
Nickolas Smith of Manchester Metropolitan University’s Department of Exercise and Sport Science, said: “These results have implications for the recommended intensity of exercise required to produce the ‘feel good factor’ often experienced following exercise.
“There are also implications regarding how people new to regular exercise should expect to feel during the exercise itself if they are to experience post-exercise mood benefits.”
Psychiatrists believe vigorous exercise triggers the release of endorphins. Endorphins are a type of neurotransmitter that helps fight pain. This is also believed to be an explanation for “runner’s high.”
To all of our patients who wish to read our monthly newsletter and weekly health news updates online, we have 2 options.
You can go to BeecherChiropractic.com/blog
or
www.facebook.com/BeecherChiropractic
Inspirational Story Of The Month –
(Names And Details Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
Local Hero Creates Another Hero
20 Years Later, One Man’s Heroic Deed Inspires Another
There is an old story about researchers, kids and marshmallows.
In the story, researchers take a bunch of little kids and bring them into a room with one researcher and one marshmallow.
The marshmallow is placed in the middle of the table. Just as things get started, the researcher gets a call. He then tells the child that he has to leave the room for just a little bit. Then, he gives the kids two options…
The first is they can eat the marshmallow right now. IF they do, that’s all they will get. Or, they can wait until the researcher comes back. If they wait, they will get a whole bag. The researcher walks out of the room and leaves the child and the marshmallow on the table.
Results?
Most of the kids immediately ate the marshmallow. A small percentage waited until the researcher came back and got a whole bag. Some of the kids who ate the marshmallow still wanted a whole bag and complained. But, that’s not the important part. The important part is what happened many years later.
The researchers supposedly interviewed these kids when they were all grown up, and the results were quite telling. Basically, the kids in the group who ate the marshmallows right away were relatively unsuccessful both in their careers and financially, and they had many broken personal relationships. On the contrary, the adults from the group who did not eat the marshmallow had great careers, made more money, and had lasting personal relationships. It is theorized these results were due to a person’s ability to delay gratification. In other words, the kids who had will power and were able to put off a small reward now for a larger one later were able to achieve much greater successes in all aspects of their lives.
That makes complete sense. Sometimes these “gratifications” take a long time to materialize, which brings us to our hero story…
Kurt Beach is a police lieutenant who contracted Hepatitis C while trying to save the life of a baby 20 years ago.
A woman by the name of Teresa Janik heard his story and was emotionally moved. When she heard Lt. Beach needed a liver transplant, she came in and offered to be a donor. Tests showed she was not a match for Lt. Beach, but she was a match for a 12-year old girl who also needed a liver transplant. Teresa became a donor and gave part of her liver to the12 year old girl she never even met.
“You’re giving a part of your body to a stranger?” News Channel 3 asked. “Yeah,” Teresa said. “She could be my family member.” Teresa has lost one sister to breast cancer and another is fighting the disease right now. She says for years she’s watched strangers give platelets, blood, anything they could to possibly save lives. So, she couldn’t help but to try to save the little girl when the opportunity arose. Teresa said, “This will cure her. If the liver takes and it grows within her, she will no longer have a liver problem.” The Good Samaritan who set out to save Lt. Beach’s life says she can’t wait for her hero to hear how his story inspired her. “I’m very excited for him to find out that his story has made this happen,” Teresa said. “I would have never sought out liver donation, didn’t know anything about it, and if I could donate two parts of [my liver], I would donate the other part to him.”
When Lt. Beach heard about what Teresa was doing he broke down in tears. He had waited 20 years for that “gratification.”
We love helping our patients and their friends and relatives through their tough times and getting them feeling better! We are here to help you stay feeling better and looking younger! Don’t be a stranger. You really can afford Chiropractic care! Don’t wait until you can no longer move!
Did You Know?…
Powerful memory requires a healthy brain and the right nutrition. The brain uses tremendous amounts of energy and is the most metabolically active organ in the body– it never completely rests. As a result, it has one of the highest rates of free radical production. These free radicals begin to destroy the structure of the brain, its connections and the cells. Unless you replace those damaged parts with nutrients, brain function starts to fall off more and more over time. For example, Omega-3 fatty acids are replaced extremely rapidly. If you are deficient in this nutrient, your brain begins to change its structure very quickly and soon (only 2 weeks) loses its ability to properly function because one of its vital components is missing. Americans consume an average of 129 pounds of sugar a year; 57% of it comes from processed foods. For example, teenagers drink an equivalent of 54 teaspoons of sugar a day just from soda. Sugar consumption dramatically increases free radical generation in the brain. It produces cross-linking of the proteins in all cells which dramatically increases the damaging effect of these free radicals, making every cell in your body age much, much faster — particularly brain cells. In some extreme cases, it can even result in permanent brain damage. Lack of Vitamin B-1 in the diet causes memory failure and depression. Consumption of a lot of carbohydrates depletes Vitamin B-1. Vitamins C, D, E, K, A, B and carotenoids are all associated with brain function. Animal fat impairs the ability to learn and remember, but healthy fats, such as Omega-3, improve depression, memory retention and thinking. This is because the brain uses an enormous amount of fatty acids for its membranes. Aspartame, MSG, pesticides, and herbicides in food; aluminum in deodorants; fluoride in the water; and mercury in vaccines may play a major role in brain toxicity and brain function decline. Excessive toxicity destroys brain cells.
Tip Of The Month
A Simple Way To Get Better Results From Any Weight Loss Program.
Everyone wants to know the answer to this question: What’s the best way to lose weight? The problem with that age-old question is – there is no ONE correct answer because everyone’s body make-up, chemistry and genes are different. In other words, we all react differently to different types of food. We also react differently to different types of exercise. That’s why losing weight and keeping it off can be so difficult. It has also opened up the door for marketers to sell all kinds of junk that promises to get you skinny… just about overnight.
Here’s the real truth about weight loss – and it’s something many people simply do not want to hear…
To successfully lose weight, you must meticulously figure out what types of foods and exercise work with your body chemistry and type. Then, you must make a plan incorporating those foods and exercises… then… YOU MUST STICK TO THAT PLAN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. There is no “quick fix” pill or wonder diets or miracle piece of workout equipment that will work.
That’s A Hard Pill For Most To Swallow
But, there is a way to get better results for ANY eating or exercise program you do. Here is how: Researchers at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research instructed obese adults who participated in the study to follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and maintain a weight loss journal. While some were asked to maintain their weight loss journals six days a week, others updated it only once a week. The author of the study said those who maintained their journal regularly lost more weight compared to those who updated it only once a week. It is believed several reasons attributed to the success of the “journal” group. Two very important reasons are: accountability and the ability to really analyze what you are eating and doing physically. People are often surprised when they see in writing what they are doing. Perception is often very different from reality. So, if you want to increase the effect of any weight loss program you are on, try keeping a journal. But first, accept the fact that losing weight and staying in shape takes effort and time, and the results are a better looking and healthier you. Nothing is more important.
Remember, we’re always here, to help your body heal
and maintain the health you deserve.
This information should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a healthcare professional who is familiar with your updated medical history. We cannot be held responsible for actions you may take without a thorough exam or appropriate referral. If you have any further concerns or questions, please call our office at 281-286-1300.
