Dr Beecher’s February 2015 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter

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“It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.” ~ Harry S. Truman

New Study Shows Refined Sugars May Raise Blood Pressure More Than Salt!

Also this month:

• Study Links Vitamin D Deficiency to Depression. The evidence about the importance of Vitamin D is adding up.  It affects your immune system and has now been linked to depression.
• Lose Weight with Potatoes? New study shows you may be able to lose weight even if you are eating a diet high in fat and refined carbohydrates with this potato extract…
• How Stealing Eggs Fed a Family of Six. Stealing is not good but the outcome of this “theft” may have saved a few lives…

Houston – There is no question,  science has dramatically changed the way in which we see the world and has helped us better understand both ourselves and the universe we inhabit.

Here is something most people do not know about science and the scientific method: it raises more questions than answers. You see, the purpose of science is NOT to “prove” things.  In fact, all scientific theories are actually unprovable.

The late philosopher Karl Popper believed a hypothesis, proposition, or theory is “scientific” only if it is, among other things, falsifiable.

According to Princeton University’s website: “Falsifiability or refutability is the logical possibility that an assertion could be shown false by a particular observation or physical experiment.  That something is ‘falsifiable’ does not mean it is false; rather, it means that if the statement were false, then its falsehood could be demonstrated.

            “The claim ‘No human lives forever’ is not falsifiable since it does not seem possible to prove wrong.  In theory, one would have to observe a human living forever to falsify that claim.  On the other hand, ‘All humans live forever’ is falsifiable since the presentation of just one dead human could prove the statement wrong (excluding metaphysical assertions about souls, which are not falsifiable). Moreover, a claim may be true and still be falsifiable; if ‘All humans live forever’ were true, we would never actually find a dead human, and yet that claim would still be falsifiable because we can at least imagine the observation that would prove it wrong.”

Here Are Two Important Things About This…

First, a statement that is unfalsifiable is non-scientific, but that does not mean it is not relevant or that it is inaccurate.  One great example is the existence of atoms.  The ancient metaphysical and unfalsifiable idea of the existence of atoms led to modern theories about atoms that are falsifiable.

In other words, just because something does not fit into the scientific method does not mean it will not fit someday or that it is false.  It is very possible that things could be untestable by science but true.

Just as important, because something does fit into the scientific method and has withstood scientific testing, it does not mean it is true or even partially true.  It is not uncommon to discover that things we believe to be fact are either partially or completely incorrect.

In other words, we know a lot less than we sometimes think we do and we should always keep an open mind.

Is Sodium Really the Devil?

For example, sodium has been demonized for quite some time because it has been linked to high blood pressure and heart disease.  For many years, it has been an accepted “fact” that sodium intake must be reduced in people with high blood pressure and by most people in general.

Not too long ago, a study was published that suggested the important measure wasn’t sodium intake but the sodium/potassium ratio in an individual’s diet. This could mean that even a low-sodium diet could be bad if an individual’s diet is also low in potassium, or that a high-sodium diet may not be an issue if a person’s diet is also a high-potassium diet.

But it gets better…  Now, a new study published in the journal Open Heart has added to the debate.  In this study, high-sugar diets were found to raise blood pressure.

According to the study: “Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature mortality in the developed world, and hypertension is its most important risk factor.  Controlling hypertension is a major focus of public health initiatives, and dietary approaches have historically focused on sodium.

            “While the potential benefits of sodium-reduction strategies are debatable, one fact which there is little debate is that the predominant sources of sodium in the diet are industrially processed foods.  Processed foods also happen to be generally high in added sugars, the consumption of which might be more strongly and directly associated with hypertension and cardio metabolic risk.”

            The authors of the study went on to add,  “Thus, while there is no argument that recommendations to reduce consumption of processed foods are highly appropriate and advisable, the arguments in this review are that the benefits of such recommendations might have less to do with sodium – minimally related to blood pressure and perhaps even inversely related to cardiovascular risk – and more to do with highly-refined carbohydrates.”

Here’s What Is VERY Important To YOU:

This may seem like a lot of “scientific” information.  It may also seem confusing.  Researchers are good at making things confusing!

Here is the scoop:  Foods loaded with processed, refined carbohydrates are not good for you.  Choosing to eat fewer refined, processed foods is one of the best ways to lose weight and stay healthy.  Period.  End of story.

Notice, I did not say to stop eating carbohydrates?  Many people are confused by this and think all carbohydrates are the same but nothing could be further from the truth.

There is a HUGE difference between highly refined carbohydrates and unrefined carbohydrates.

Sure, there is a raging debate over low-carb and high-carb diets but that is another conversation.  The first thing you must understand is highly refined carbohydrates are not good for you in any amounts.  How many unrefined and GOOD carbohydrates you should consume is a very different topic.

Does science always have the right answer?  No, it is not supposed to.  Science is a method, a process.  It is one part of how we know what we know.  It is not all of it.

We should use science as part of the process to make the best decisions about life and health.

With that being said, I will go out on a limb and say this:  If you want to be healthier – possibly much healthier – stop eating processed, highly refined foods.

Are You SAD?  Vitamin D Deficiency

Might Be The Cause… 

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is believed to affect up to 10 percent of the population.  SAD is a type of depression related to the changes in the season and can affect some geographic locations more than others.  The symptoms of SAD usually start in the fall and continue throughout the winter months.  Now, new research suggests that Vitamin D plays a HUGE role in whether or not a person develops SAD.  According to Dr. Alan Stewart of the University of Georgia College of Education, “Rather than being one of many factors, Vitamin D could have a regulative role in the development of SAD… We believe there are several reasons for this, including Vitamin D levels fluctuate in the body seasonally, in direct relation to seasonally available sunlight.  For example, studies show there is a lag of about eight weeks between the peak in intensity of ultraviolet radiation and the onset of SAD, and this correlates with the time it takes for UV radiation to be processed by the body into Vitamin D.” 

It is important to note that Vitamin D is involved in the synthesis of dopamine and serotonin and lower levels of both are linked to depression.  This is especially important since many people now avoid the sun as much as possible out of fear or developing skin cancer. Clearly, exposure to sunlight is important for optimizing your health.  But there is a big difference between getting too much sunlight (and getting sunburns) and taking an extreme position to get no sunlight at all.  The tricky thing is determining what level of sun exposure is most beneficial for you.  Factors like skin tone and geographic location drastically affect how much sun any given person should be exposed to.  However, a vitamin D supplement may safely help increase your vitamin D levels, especially during winter months when sunlight exposure is extremely limited.

Don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your questions. We’re here to help and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in providing you natural pain relief.

Inspirational Story Of The Month

(Names And Details May Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)

  How Stealing Eggs Fed a Starving Family of Six

Ever had a bad day?  One of those days where you wish you never got out of bed?  We all have those days.  Sometimes we get more of them than we want to deal with.

Clearly, life can be tough and it has brought many good people to their knees.  It’s a safe bet that EVERYONE at one time or another has needed help.  Getting help is what this amazing story is about…

Helen Johnson was just buying groceries, something we all do.  But that’s where the similarity ends for most of us.

Helen was not buying much, just the necessities because the children in her charge had not eaten in two days.  When the cashier told her the total, she was 50 cents short.  This put Helen in a very tough spot.  She is raising her two daughters, two grandchildren, and a niece.  She gets assistance from disability and welfare, but her last check got lost in the mail.

Helen was faced with letting her family go hungry… or stealing.  She chose the latter.

She put three eggs in her pocket and they broke.  This mistake turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Here is why:  The cashier saw the broken eggs and knew she was trying to shoplift them, so she called the police.  When the police came, Helen was honest and told Officer William Stacy what had happened.

Officer Stacy said she started crying and said she needed help to put food in her babies’ stomachs.

Instead of arresting her, Officer Stacy told her to wait for him in the parking lot.  She did and he came back with a carton of eggs he purchased for her.  When he handed Helen the eggs, she almost broke down with overwhelming emotion.

What’s more, someone in the parking lot caught the entire exchange on video.  The video was uploaded to the internet and as you can imagine, went viral.

But it gets even better…  Officer Stacy is employed by the Tarrant Police Department in Alabama.  The Tarrant Police Department signed up Helen’s family for a local toy drive and also collected enough donations to deliver two truckloads of groceries to the family.

Helen has been quoted as saying, “I was just getting eggs and now that’s saved my life.  I’ve never been more grateful in my life.  I’m so overwhelmed with the goodness of these people… My heart is wide open right now.”

This story is not as unique as one may think.  In 2013, Jessica Robles was caught shoplifting groceries in a Publix Supermarket in Florida.  When Miami-Dade Police Officer Viki Thomas looked at the situation, she decided to pay $100 for the woman’s groceries instead of arresting her.

Everyone knows there is plenty of bad in the world, but there is also plenty of good.  Most of the time, you see what you are looking for.

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?…

Are You Drinking Enough Water?

Throughout each day, your body loses water through your urine, exhalation, and sweat glands – even when you’re not purposely working up a sweat.  As a result, you have to drink water to constantly replenish this fluid. No, coffee and soft drinks do not count toward this requirement.  Both coffee and soda are high in caffeine, which act as a diuretic that will dehydrate you.  Worse yet, sodas, fruit juices, and other sweetened beverages are loaded with sugars that could negatively impact your health.  So, the key is to drink pure water.  Once your body has lost 1-2% of its total water content, it will signal its needs by making you feel thirsty.

Besides listening to your thirst, a good rule of thumb is to look at the color of your urine.  In most cases, you want to drink enough water to turn your urine a light-colored yellow (if it’s clear, you may be drinking too much water).  Also, Riboflavin (vitamin B2, which is also found in most multi-vitamins) will turn your urine a bright, almost fluorescent yellow.  So, if you’re taking supplements containing B2, it may be more difficult to judge hydration by the color of your urine.  Frequency of urination can also be used to judge your water intake.  If your urine is scant or if you haven’t urinated in several hours, that too may indicate you need to drink more water.

Tip Of The Month

Lose Weight with Potatoes?     

Potatoes (and other carbohydrates) have gotten a bad rap in recent years.  Now, newly published research claims they can help you lose weight.  Well, sort of.  According to researchers at McGill University, a potato extract may help limit weight gain from a diet that is already high in fat and refined carbohydrates.  The study was done on mice that were fed an obesity-inducing diet for ten weeks.  Some of the mice were also fed a potato extract.  The mice fed the potato extract gained less weight.

Here are a few things that are important…  The extract comes from 30 potatoes.  Obviously, attempting to eat 30 potatoes a day would not achieve the same results (due to the large amount of calories) and is not advisable.  That’s why an extract was used.  But there is a bigger issue:  This potato extract was tested on mice eating diets high in fat and refined carbohydrates.  A much better solution would be to stop eating that sort of low-quality diet.  The answer is not to eat poorly and hope that a supplement or drug will solve your problems.  The answer is to eat right in the first place.  The study said the mice taking the extract with the poor diet gained LESS weight.  This means they still gained weight.  There are no good shortcuts to losing weight and staying healthy.  Making the decision to eat right and exercise for the rest of your life is the only real solution.

Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal

and maintain the pain free body 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 health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.