Dr. Beecher’s May 2011 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
VOLUME 11 ISSUE 5
In Good Hands
A Free Monthly Newsletter For The Friends and Patients of Ward Beecher DC
“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” – E. E. Cummings
Is Cutting Your Risk Of These 4 Deadly Diseases IN HALF Really This Easy?
New research shows a simple way you may be able to decrease your risk of breast cancer, colon cancer, multiple sclerosis and Type 1 diabetes by a whopping 50%!
Also in this issue:
- What you must know if you use sunscreen or try to stay out of the sun
- New study shows diet may help ADHD kids more than drugs
- WARNING: Research shows exercise may be harmful to your health? Really?
- Shocking new research on anti-depression medications and a possible way to beat depression!
Plus, the story that will touch your heart: What does a blind man do when his guide dog goes blind – the answer is amazing.
Houston – We’ve all heard it, but who really lives by these wise words “An ounce of…” in the first place?
Maybe we are all just a little lazy and like to take the easy way out, at least most of the time?
Come on – you are amongst friends – you can admit it! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?
Maybe “cures” are “sexier” than simply preventing the mess in the first place? J
Or, maybe it’s because “prevention” can be a pain in the you know what? Always finding and preparing the right foods can be time consuming and expensive.
Exercising is exercising! It’s no mistake the word “work” is in workout!
But, what if there was an easy way to be healthier than you are right now?
What if there was a simple way to decrease your risk of 4 deadly diseases by 50% that took almost no time and was inexpensive…
Would You Do It?
Well, according to a new study, there may be.
Now, this is not a substitute for eating right, exercising, reducing stress and getting check-ups. But, it is something everyone should look into because it might help you a great deal.
Here’s what this is all about: The current government recommendation for Vitamin D intake is 400-600 international units (IU) per day. 400 IU was found to be the minimum amount of Vitamin D needed to prevent rickets over a century ago.
But “minimum” and “optimum” are two very different things…
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, have reported that markedly higher intake of Vitamin D is needed to reach blood levels that can prevent or markedly cut the incidence of breast cancer and several other major diseases than originally thought.
1
The results were published on February 21 in the journal Anticancer Research.
According to a EurikAlert press release on February 22, 2011, “We found that daily intakes of Vitamin D by adults in the range of 4000-8000 IU are needed to maintain blood levels of Vitamin D metabolites in the range needed to reduce, by about half the risk, several diseases; breast cancer, colon cancer, multiple sclerosis, and Type 1 diabetes,” said Cedric Garland, DrPH, Professor of Family and Preventive Medicine at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center. “I was surprised to find that the intakes required to maintain Vitamin D status for disease prevention were so high – much higher than the minimal intake of Vitamin D of 400 IU/day that was needed to defeat rickets in the 20th century. I was not surprised by this,” said Robert P. Heaney, MD, of Creighton University, a distinguished biomedical scientist who has studied Vitamin D needs for several decades.
“This result was what our dose-response studies predicted, but it took a study such as this, of people leading their everyday lives, to confirm it.”
The studies also said only about 10% of people have this new appropriate level of Vitamin D in their blood – and these are mostly people who work outdoors.
Trading Skin Cancer For
More Deadly Cancers?
With recent recommendations for people to stay out of the sun or use high SPF sunscreens, people are sure to fall very short of the Vitamin D intake they need.
According to the press release, “Now that the results of this study are in, it will become common for almost every adult to take 4000 IU/day,” Garland said. “This is comfortably under the 10,000 IU/day that the IOM Committee Report considers as the lower limit of risk, and the benefits are substantial.” He added that people who may have contraindications should discuss their Vitamin D needs with their family doctor.
“Now is the time for virtually everyone to take more Vitamin D to help prevent some major types of cancer, several other serious illnesses, and fractures,” said Heaney.
Research: The Dangers Of
Second-Hand Smoke In Cars With Children
“While the evidence is incomplete, there is enough available to support legislation against letting people smoke in cars with children,” states an article in Canadian Medical Association Journal (as reported by Science Daily on January 10, 2011).
Even though second-hand smoke was not shown to be 23 times more dangerous as some had claimed – “It can still be very harmful to children.”
Groundbreaking Study: Anti-Depressants
No Better Than Placebo
Napoleon Hill, author of the self-help bible “Think and Grow Rich”, is quoted as saying: “What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” He also said we become our dominant thoughts. Research is showing he may be 100% accurate with those statements… especially the latter.
Here is why: Starting in 1998, studies began to raise questions about the “scientific proof” behind the widespread use of antidepressants versus placebos. University of Connecticut researchers, Irving Kirsch and Guy Sapirstein, found
antidepressants seemed to get results, but so did placebos.
In 38 studies conducted with over 3,000 depressed patients, placebos improved symptoms 75 percent as much as legitimate medications.
“We wondered, what’s going on?” said Kirsch in a
2010 interview with Newsweek. The medical community, skeptical of his analysis, asked him to instigate a more comprehensive study with the results of all clinical trials conducted by antidepressant manufacturers, including those unpublished – 47 studies in total.
Over half of the studies showed no significant difference in the depression-alleviating effects of a medicated versus non-medicated pill. With this more thorough analysis, which now included strategically unpublished studies from pharmaceutical companies, placebos were shown to improve symptoms 82 percent as much as the real pill.
According to the Citizens Commission on Human Rights International: “However, if experts and antidepressant manufacturers are aware of this, the general public certainly isn’t … Millions of people every year feel better, simply because they believe they’ll feel better.”
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
2
Presented by Beecher Chiropractic Clinic 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston TX 77062 (281) 286-1300
Inspirational Story Of The Month –
(Names And Details Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
What Does A Blind Man Do When His Guide Dog Goes Blind?
The answer to that question is an incredible story that will warm your heart and may even change your life…
Have you ever faced a situation that made you feel depressed?
Maybe it was a difficult choice you had to make in your life? Or you were facing tough times and you couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel?
At the time, things seemed so miserable you didn’t know what to do. Maybe you even felt like throwing your hands in the air and walking away.
Quitting
Who knows… maybe you are even facing a situation in your life like that right now. Many people are. Well, the truth of the matter is:
Nothing In Life Is Either As Good… Or As Bad… As It First Seems
And even though you cannot always control the things that happen to you – you can always control your reaction to those things and their long-term end results.
A wise man once said, “If you wrote down all of your problems on a piece paper and put it in a hat with 10 other people’s problems… and everyone picked someone else’s problems out of that hat… in no time flat everyone would want their own problems back!”
For example, think about all your problems and write them down. Put them in a hat and trade them with Graham Waspe. Graham is blind. He has very limited vision in only one eye after two incidents earlier in his life. But, I bet if you picked Graham’s list from that hat, he wouldn’t have even listed blind as a problem. Well, maybe he would’ve, but I doubt it.
Actually, I bet when you picked Graham’s list, it would’ve been blank. Why? Because the smart money says Graham doesn’t view anything in his life as a problem… he only sees potential solutions.
For example, because Graham cannot see, he has a guide dog named Edward. Graham and Edward did just about everything together. Edward was literally Graham’s eyes for six years of faithful service. Then disaster struck, or at least what most people would consider disaster. Edward developed an inoperable problem and had to have both of his eyes removed. How did Graham react? Did he pout? Throw his hands in the air and quit? Did he curse the day he was born?
No, No and NO!
Graham solved the problem – for both of them. Graham got Opal. Opal is another guide dog who now guides Graham and Edward! Just imagine, a guide dog leading a blind guide dog leading a blind man.
You see, when you hear a story like that it makes you realize a couple things. The first is: no matter what you are going through, there is always a solution. The only way you don’t find a solution is if you stop looking.
Second: Life is short and you should make the best of every situation and enjoy every moment of your life. It really is the small things that truly make us happy. Like Graham going for a walk with Opal and Edward, or the smile and laugh of a child, or opening your eyes tomorrow to a new and wonderful day, as wonderful as you choose to make it. Or maybe more correct – as wonderful as you choose to interpret it. There is beauty all around us… many times we just forget to recognize and acknowledge it. Make it a point to do something fun and wonderful each and every day… you won’t regret it.
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!
3
Presented by Beecher Chiropractic Clinic 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston TX 77062 (281) 286-1300
Did You Know?…
The average cost of developing and bringing a new prescription drug to market is $802 million. It usually takes between
10 and 15 years to develop and bring a new medication to market. • Over 90% of drugs entering clinical trials fail to make it to market. • Large manufacturers spend twice as much on advertising and marketing costs than they do on research costs. • Each year in the United States, more than 160 million prescriptions are written for antibiotics. Annually, humans consume 235 million doses of antibiotics. It is estimated that 20%-50% of that use is unnecessary. • Why is it so difficult to find a powerful pain-killing medication that does not also produce addiction? Over the years, pharmaceutical companies have tried to separate these two pharmacological qualities. Perhaps because the brain areas involved with pain reduction and those involved with drug dependence are connected, it has been almost impossible to find powerful “non-addicting” painkillers? On the other hand, perhaps dependence on drugs and pain reduction are two different phenomena that will someday be separated, as more refined research evolves in this important area? • By law when a physician prescribes drugs for a patient, the physician is required to ensure the patient is fully informed of the drugs risks and benefits and consents to the drug therapy with full informed knowledge. Statistics show that this occurs in less than 20% of the patient population.
Tip Of The Month – Has Research Proven That Exercise Is Bad For Your Heart?
Exercise is good for you… right? Everyone knows eating right, exercising, reducing stress and routine maintenance check-ups are the key to living up to your genetic potential.
Well, a new study just found a certain type of exercise seems to be bad for your heart. Here’s the scoop: Not too long ago, researchers conducted a study on the heart health of a group of very fit older athletes — men who had been part of a National or Olympic team in distance running or rowing, or runners who had completed at least 100 marathons. All of the men had
trained and competed throughout their adult lives and continued to strenuously exercise. The results were not good. Half of these lifelong athletes showed evidence of heart muscle scarring. None of the younger athletes or the older non-athletes had fibrosis in their hearts. The affected men were the ones who had trained the longest and hardest. Now, a new study done on rats has reproduced similar findings.
In this study, published in the journal, Circulation, Canadian and Spanish scientists prodded young, healthy male rats to run at an intense pace, day after day, for three months, which is the equivalent of about 10 years, in human terms. At the beginning of the study, the rats had perfectly normal hearts. At the end of the training period, heart scans showed that most of the rodents had developed diffuse scarring and some structural changes, similar to the changes seen in the human endurance athletes. A control group of rats did not develop the heart changes, but when the rats stopped running, their hearts returned to normal within 8 weeks.
What Does All This Mean For You?
According to Dr. Paul Thompson, the Chief of Cardiology at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut, and an expert on sports cardiology, in terms of exercise, unless you are going to the extreme like the elite athletes in the study, probably not much. He was one of the peer reviewers for the British athlete study. He said, “How many people are going to join the
100 Marathon club or undertake a comparable amount of training? Not many. Too much exercise has not been a big problem in America. Most people just run to stay in shape, and for them, the evidence is quite strong that endurance exercise is good [for the heart].”
So, What IS Important For You In All Of This?
One word: Moderation. Health really seems to be all about moderation. That goes for the foods you eat, the exercise you do and the stress you deal with. Not enough is not good, but too much can be just as bad. Sadly, most people think if something is good – more is better. There is an optimal level or range for everything. Above or below that level – for any length of time – leads to abnormal stress, strain and problems. When you are looking to get in shape and be healthy, you must first discover the proper definitions of in shape and health.
Remember, we’re always here to help your body heal and maintain the health and function that 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 call our office at 281-286-1300.
4
Presented by Beecher Chiropractic Clinic 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston TX 77062 (281) 286-1300
Dr. Beecher’s May 9th, 2011 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
For More Information, please download this week’s newsletter, here.
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS
UPDATE
Week of Monday, May 9th, 2011
Mental Attitude: Improved Memory? Scientists from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York increased the amount of the protein IGF-II in rats and found they showed significantly improved long term memory. The effects of the IGF-II were also found to last for several weeks. Nature, February 2011
Health Alert: Kids Working? Many teens work part-time during the school year and in the current economic climate, more youths may seek after school employment. Working more than 20 hours a week is associated with declines in school engagement, a lower probability of continued education, and increases in problem behavior such as stealing, carrying a weapon, drinking alcohol and using illegal drugs. Child Development, Feb 2011
Diet: I Could Have Had A… Studies show drinking vegetable juice may be a simple way for people to increase their vegetable intake and may help them more effectively manage their weight. Adults who drank one 8-ounce glass of vegetable juice each day consumed nearly twice as many vegetable servings a day than those who did not drink any vegetable juice. Also, 9 of 10 who drank the popular vegetable juice V8 said they felt they were doing something good for themselves. Journal of the American Medical Association, 2010
Exercise: Burning Calories! Most people know exercise keeps muscles strong. Did you know strong muscles burn more calories? Muscle mass is metabolically active tissue. The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn even when you’re not working out! For each pound of muscle you add, you will burn an additional 35-50 calories per day. So, an extra 5 pounds of muscle will burn about 175-250 calories a day or an extra pound of fat every 14-20 days. Mayo Clinic
Chiropractic: Light As A Feather! Pressure on a nerve root equal to a feather falling on your hand resulted in up to a 50% decrease in electrical transmission down the nerve supplied by that root.
Seth Sharpless, Ph.D. and Marvin Luttges, Ph.D.
Wellness/Prevention: Prevent Bad Lifestyle Habits. Unhealthy habits are especially predominant amongst young adults ages 19-26. Data points to the fact that young people show more risk behavior than expected (more even than they themselves perceive) and believe they are healthier than they really are. Unhealthy habits include poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity, risky sexual practices, smoking cigarettes, taking drugs and getting insufficient sleep. Bad habits tend to worsen with age. Special attention has to be paid to adolescents because around 16 years of age appears to be the point of no return, the age when either healthy activities are adopted or risk behavior patterns arise. AlphaGalileo Foundation. January 2011
Quote: “For the rational, psychologically healthy man, the desire for pleasure is the desire to celebrate his control over reality. For the neurotic, the desire for pleasure is the desire to escape from reality.” ~ Nathaniel Branden
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 May 2nd, 2011 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
For More Information, please download this week’s newsletter, here.
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS
UPDATE
Week of Monday, May 2nd, 2011
Mental Attitude: Parents Can Help. Many studies show parenting under stress can negatively affect children. Parents who struggle financially, who suffer from depression, or who are single parents need extra support. In schools offering ParentCorps, a program for families of Pre-Kindergarten students in disadvantaged urban communities that focuses on improved parenting strategies, parents reported using more effective discipline strategies and were observed in the home to be more responsive to their children during play interactions. By the end of the Pre-Kindergarten year, children in schools with ParentCorps were rated by their teachers as better behaved and showed more social and emotional competencies. Child Development, February 2011
Health Alert: Unemployed And Unhealthy! Unemployed people between the ages of 30 and 59 years are often affected by physical, emotional, and functional impairments such as sleep disorders, anxiety disorders, and substance addictions. The health consequences of unemployment result from loss of income, loss of social contacts in the workplace, and/or loss of social reputation. Unemployed men and women who are supported by their partners, family members, or friends are less frequently affected by these complaints.
Deutsches Aerzteblatt International, February 2011
Diet: Genes And Your Sweet Tooth. The substance ghrelin plays an important role in binge-eating and sugar consumption. Ghrelin is a neuropeptide that activates the brain’s reward system and increases appetite. People with certain changes in the ghrelin gene consume more sugar than their peers. Researchers also found, when ghrelin was blocked, rats reduced their consumption of sugar and were less motivated to hunt for sugar. Plos One, April 2011
Exercise: The Great Outdoors! Exercising in natural environments is associated with greater feelings of revitalization, increased energy and positive engagement, with decreases in tension, confusion, anger and depression. Participants also reported greater enjoyment and satisfaction with outdoor activity and were more likely to repeat the activity. Environmental Science and Technology, February 2011
Chiropractic: Stop On A Dime! At the spinal nerve root level, a sustained pressure increase of the weight of a dime was adequate to produce interference in normal nerve transmission! Dr. Chung Ha Suh, University of Colorado
Wellness/Prevention: Adopt Healthy Habits! When considering levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol, people who did not improve any lifestyle factors between youth and adulthood had more than double the prevalence of low HDL levels (26.2% vs. 11.9%). Those who had improved at least two lifestyle factors had a prevalence of low HDL less than one-fourth that of the study average. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, February 2011
Quote: “Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.” ~ Sigmund Freud
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 April 25th, 2011 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
For More Information, please download this week’s newsletter, here.
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, April 25th, 2011
Mental Attitude: Risks For Quitting College. 40% of students in the US fail to get a bachelor’s degree within 6 years at the college where they began. Surprisingly, events such as a death in the family and students’ failure to get their intended major did not have a significant influence. The critical event with the most influence was depression. Other reasons include recruitment by an employer or another institution; losing financial aid or experiencing a large increase in tuition or living costs; unexpected bad grades; and roommate conflicts. Journal Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Feb 2011
Health Alert: Cough It Up. Research has linked over-the-counter cough and cold products to poisoning or death in hundreds of children, ages 2 and younger. Studies also show these medicines do little to control symptoms. In 2008, the FDA formally recommended OTC cough and cold products not be given to children under age 2. 61% of parents of children ages 2 and younger gave their children OTC cough and cold medicine within the last 12 months. More than half of parents report their child’s doctor says OTC cough and cold medications are safe for children under 2. University of Michigan Health System, Feb 2011
Diet: Too Fat! The rate of obesity among children and adolescents in the US has nearly tripled between the1980s and 2000s. Childhood obesity can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, sleep problems, cancer, liver disease, skin infections, asthma and other respiratory problems later in life. Pediatrics Journal, February 2011
Exercise: The “Skinny” on Exercise. Exercise boosts blood circulation and the delivery of nutrients to your skin, helping to detoxify the body by removing toxins. As exercise boosts oxygen to the skin, it helps increase the production of collagen, the connective tissue that keeps your skin elastic. Mayo Clinic, Feb 2011
Chiropractic: Headache Help! A study compared 6 weeks of chiropractic adjusting for tension-type headaches to 6 weeks of medical treatment with amitriptyline, a medication often prescribed for severe tension headache pain. Chiropractic patients experienced fewer side effects (82.1%) and only chiropractic patients continued to report fewer headaches when treatment ended. JMPT, 1995
Wellness/Prevention: Zinc! The cold accounts for 40% of sickness absence from work and millions of school days missed each year. Zinc taken within a day of cold symptoms can reduce severity and shorten the length of illness. At 7 days after onset, a higher proportion of people who took zinc reported no cold symptoms compared to those who took a placebo. The Cochrane Library, Feb 2011
Quote: “If we did all the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves.” ~ 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 April 18th, 2011 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
For More Information, please download this week’s newsletter, here.
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, April 18th, 2011
Mental Attitude: A Positive Attitude Helps. Joint replacement patients who have a positive mindset prior to surgery are more likely to have better functional outcomes. Patients with poor pre-operative emotional health, poor coping skills, little social support and who are anxious are at risk for less functional improvement after total knee replacement. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 2011
Health Alert: On Your Knees! 10 million Americans suffer from knee osteoarthritis (OA). Due to obesity and symptomatic knee OA, Americans over the age of 50 will, in total, lose the equivalent of 86 million healthy years of life. Reducing obesity to the year 2000 levels would prevent 173,000 cases of coronary heart disease, 711,000 cases of diabetes and 270,000 total knee replacements. It would save 19.5 million years of life among US adults aged 50-
- Annals of Internal Medicine, February 2011
Diet: Can Cartoons Make Kids Eat Brussels Sprouts? Characters like Shrek, Donkey or Princess Fiona on food packaging, particularly cereals, can influence children to choose sugary items that provide little to no nutritional value. When there is no licensed cartoon character on the box, kids prefer a cereal whose name suggests healthy eating rather than sugar consumption. Annenberg School for Communications, University of Pennsylvania, Feb 2011
Exercise: Walk It Off. Because exercise helps use up oxygen, it causes your body to burn stored fat. If you walk 4 miles a day, 4 times a week, you can burn 1,600 calories a week. If you don’t change your diet at all and walk that same distance for six months, you’ll lose about 12 pounds. Walk that same distance for a year and you’ll drop about 24 pounds! Mayo Clinic
Chiropractic: Take A Deep Breath. Breathing is a function most people do not associate with spinal health. A case published in the 1980s involved a 53-year-old man with a 20-year history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. More than 14 months after starting chiropractic care, the amount of air he was able to forcibly exhale in one complete breath (a measure called “forced vital capacity”) and the amount of air he could move in the first second of that complete breath (called “forced expiratory volume in one second”) had both improved substantially (1 liter and 0.3 liters, respectively). This case is part of a growing body of literature indicating that improved lung volumes often accompany improved spinal health through chiropractic care. Chiropractic Technique, 1991
Wellness/Prevention: Dance Your Way To Cancer Prevention. Exercise makes your body stronger. By choosing a fun workout, like dance classes, it’s easier to get the 30 minutes of daily exercise you need to maintain a healthy weight, which may reduce your chances for some types of cancer. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, February 2011
Quote: “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.” ~ 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.
Long-Term Results for Neck Injury
Clear Lake City Chiropractor Comments: A neck injury such as a pulled muscle or a “knot” in the muscle is something we’ve all experienced. These little aches and pains usually go away on their own, or with a little massage from a loved one. But sometimes the neck injury is more substantial, such as in a whiplash or sports injury. In the case of long term effects of whiplash or other neck injuries, the ligaments such as the disk can be injured, and the nerves can be inflamed and irritated as well.
The long-term effect for neck pain is not good. Patients continue to suffer years later. One study looked at outcomes after five years and found that about 50% of patients continued to have pain and disability.
When the ligaments and muscles of the cervical spine are injured, the patient may guard their movements and not use certain muscles. This can lead to muscle weakness over time. As the neck muscles go, so goes the rest of the spine, or at least that’s what recent research shows. The investigators looked at a specific exercise that used the core trunk muscles. They followed the neck pain patients for two years and found that those with neck pain tended to get trunk muscle dysfunction, and eventually low back pain.
Following traumatic injuries to the neck, it is important to have a proper examination including x-ray. Getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step to getting you the treatment you need.
One study has shown that early intervention (within 4 days) in whiplash injury such as whiplash treatment, gave patients more relief, when compared to delayed (14 days) treatment.
As discussed above, many patients become chronic and have long-term pain after neck injuries. Others will develop secondary low back pain two years down the road. Because of these long-term effects, it is important to treat neck injuries in a serious manner. Ice will usually not be sufficient. These mechanical types of problems are also not correctable through medications and neck collars.
Specific chiropractic care following sprains to the neck may move the joints into better alignment and ease tension on the tissues. Mobility disorders such as limited range can also be improved with specific adjustments. As the joints begin to move more normally, exercises can be added to improve strength and range of motion. By treating neck problems appropriately and early on, the patient will be afforded the best chance for long-term success.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment with your best chiropractor in Houston for neck pain treatment by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
Dr. Beecher’s April 11th, 2011 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
For More Information, please download this week’s newsletter, here.
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, April 11th, 2011
Mental Attitude: It Could Be In Your Head. Your emotional response to challenging situations can predict how your body responds to stress. People with high levels of anger and anxiety showed greater increases in a marker of inflammation than those who remained relatively calm. This could help explain why some people with high levels of stress experience chronic health problems. Over time, these emotionally-reactive individuals may be more vulnerable to inflammatory diseases, such as cardiovascular disease. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, February 2011
Health Alert: Time To Get Healthy! A shortage of oncologists and the rising cost of chemotherapy and radiation therapies and imaging tests are making delivering quality cancer care increasingly difficult. By 2020, the shortage of oncologists in the US will be between 2,350 and 3,800, which represents a capacity of between
9.5 million and 15 million office visits. Cancer, March 2011
Diet: Vitamin E And Pneumonia. Vitamin E decreased pneumonia risk by 69% among those who had the least exposure to smoking and who also exercised. In contrast, vitamin E increased pneumonia risk by 79% among those who had the highest exposure to smoking and who did not exercise. Over half of the participants
were outside of these two subgroups and vitamin E did not affect their risk of pneumonia. Clinical Epidemiology, February 2011
Exercise: Fat Burner! Muscles are metabolically active, so the more muscle mass, the more calories you burn even when you’re not working out. For each pound of muscle you add, you will burn an extra 35-50 calories per day. Every 5 pounds of muscle added will burn 175-250 calories a day, or an extra pound of fat every 14-20 days. Mayo Clinic
Chiropractic: Better Immune System? Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York’s Preventive Medicine Institute and professor of medicine at New York University, performed one of the most important studies showing the positive effect chiropractic care can have on the immune system and general health. In his initial 3-year study of 107 individuals who had been under chiropractic care for 5 years or more, the chiropractic patients had a 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic care.
The Chiropractic Journal, August 1989
Wellness/Prevention: A Leg Up? 9 million Americans over the age of 50 have peripheral arterial disease. Symptoms: 1. Claudication (fatigue, heaviness or cramping in the leg muscles that occurs during activity and goes away with rest). 2. Foot or toe pain at rest that often disturbs sleep. 3. Skin wounds or ulcers on the feet that are slow to heal. Risk increases if you: smoke, or used to smoke, have diabetes, have high blood pressure and/or abnormal blood cholesterol, if you’re African American or have a Vascular disease. Foundation, February 2011
Quote: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” ~ 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 April 2011 Monthly Chiropractic Newsletter
To download Dr. Beecher’s Monthly Newsletter, please click here!
In Good Hands
A Free Monthly Newsletter For The Friends and Patients of Ward Beecher DC
“An intellectual is a man who takes more words than necessary to tell more than he knows.” – Dwight D
Eisenhower
“How 55-80 Year Olds
Increased The Size Of Their Brains!”
Scientific Study Shows How You Can Stay Mentally Sharp As You Age
Also In This Issue:
Study finds childhood obesity linked to health habits – not genes
New research shows trans fat intake linked to depression
Study shows children with ADHD benefits from dietary changes
30-50% of children use energy drinks – why they may harm their health
Scary trend: Why young people prefer “virtual computer lives” to the real world
Japanese researchers say dogs can be trained to sniff out cancer!
Want To Live To Be 96? A special tribute to Chiropractor, Jack LaLanne,
his amazing feats, special achievements and the health blueprint he left for you…
Houston – How would you like to have a bigger, more powerful brain?
Sadly, the hippocampus, a part of the brain key to memory and special navigation, is known to shrink as we age.
This shrinkage starts in late adulthood and is responsible for memory loss and impairment.
Now, There Is New Hope
According to the Los Angeles Times, a new study published by the
Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has revealed
“a program of aerobic exercise, over the course of a year, can increase the size of the hippocampus… in adults ages 55- 80.”
In the study, 120 people from ages 55-80 who did not exercise previously were split into 2 groups; 60 were put into an aerobic exercise
How Man’s Best Friend Might
Save You From Cancer
According to Japanese researchers,
“a specially trained Labrador proved nearly as good at identifying those with cancer as a conventional colonoscopy examination.”
Furthermore, dogs can be trained to sniff out bowel cancer even in the early stages of the disease.
In a series of experiments, a specially trained Labrador sniffed either the breath or stool samples of patients and detected cancer as well as traditional colonoscopy.
In other experiments, trained dogs have been used to sniff cancers of the skin, lungs, bladder and ovaries.
According to an article in Guardian,
“In later tests, the dog correctly identified 33 of 36 people with bowel cancer after sniffing their breath, and 37 of 38 cancer cases after sniffing a stool obtained from the patient.”
program that consisted of walking around a track 3 days a week for 40 minutes per session; and the other 60 did a program consisting of stretching and weights.
Results: According to the
Los Angeles Times article, “The group doing aerobic exercise had increases in hippocampus volume: up 2.12 % in the left hippocampus, and 1.97% in the right hippocampus. The stretching group, on the other hand, had decreased hippocampus volume: down 1.40% on the left and 1.43% on the right.”
What’s important to note is the article said it is never too late to start and it suggested that some very simple exercise programs may be a cost- effective way to treat a
1
widespread health problem, without the side effects of medication.
Study Finds Childhood Obesity
Linked To Health Habits – Not Genes
A study found, when 1,003 Michigan 6th graders were examined, obese children were “more likely to consume school lunch instead of a packed lunch from home and spend two hours a day watching TV or playing a video game.”
According to an article in Science Daily, the study suggests unhealthy habits are feeding the childhood obesity trend. “For the extremely overweight child, genetic screening may be a consideration,” says study senior author Kim A. Eagle, M.D., a Cardiologist and a Director of the U- M Cardiovascular Center. “For the rest, increasing physical activity, reducing recreational screen time and improving the nutritional value of school lunches offers great promise to begin a reversal of current childhood obesity trends.”
Here’s a startling fact: Childhood obesity has
TRIPLED in the U.S. in the last 30 years, and obesity among U.S. children ages 6-11 has gone from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008.
According to the Science Daily article,
“researchers found that 58 percent of obese children had watched two hours of TV in the previous day, compared to 41 percent of non-obese children. Forty- five percent of obese students always ate school lunch, but only 34 percent of non-obese students ate school lunch.”
Significantly fewer obese kids exercised regularly, took physical education classes, or were a member of a sports team.
In the study, 15% of the students were obese, but almost all had unhealthy habits. Over 30% drank regular soda within the previous day, less than 50% remembered eating 2 servings of vegetables in the same time period, and only 30% said they exercised for 30 minutes for 5 days during that week.
One of the biggest take home messages (besides realizing that it’s habits making us overweight — not just our genes) is that almost all the students can drastically improve their diet and exercise, not just the 15% who are obese. According to the AmericanCollege of Preventative Medicine, heart disease and diabetes are two of the most common preventable chronic diseases. Both have their preventable causes
in what we eat and how much we exercise, and both start from the habits we obtain in childhood.
As adults, we can change these habits any time we want and live a longer and healthier life just about instantly, but children need guidance to make the same healthy choices.
Many In Younger
Generation Prefer Online
Fake Life To Real One
Have you ever wanted to change your life? Maybe even wanted to be someone else?
If so, you are not alone. Now, a younger generation has found a way to make this desire a reality. Well… sort of…
According to an article in Dailymail, “A study has found that children are often more happy with their lives online than they are with reality, as it allows them to be who they want… They say they can be exactly who they want to be – and as soon as something is no longer fun they can simply hit the quit button.”
Even more shocking, according to the study, one in eight young people are in contact with strangers and often lie about their appearance, age and background.
The study also reveals 45% of younger people between the ages of 11-18 surveyed said they were happier with their online life than their real one.
“One told researchers: „It‟s easier to be who you want to be because nobody knows you and if you don‟t like the situation you can just exit and it is over.‟ Another said: „You can say anything online. You can talk to people that you don‟t normally speak to and you can edit your pictures so you look better. It is as if you are a completely different person.”
What’s more, 47% said they act differently online than in real life.
Experts warn this may be creating a generation of people who will not function adequately in society.
And 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 your lifelong good health.
2
Presented by Beecher Chiropractic Clinic 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston TX 77062 (281) 286-1300
Inspirational Story Of The Month –
(Names And Details Have Been Changed To Protect Privacy)
Who Else Wants To Live To 96 And Be As Healthy As A Horse?
A special tribute to Chiropractor Jack LaLanne, his amazing feats, special achievements and health blueprint he left for you…
I’m sure you’ve heard of Jack LaLanne. Everyone has – he’s a legend among legends. But, what do you really know about him? If you are like most people, you probably have no idea why he is truly one of the most important people to have lived in the last 100 years. For starters, Jack was an unhealthy child with anger problems who was addicted to sugar. He stated he had violent episodes directed at him and others. Jack described himself as “a miserable goddamn kid… it was like hell.” Besides having a bad temper, he also suffered from headaches and bulimia, and dropped out of high school at age 14. The following year, at age 15, he heard health food pioneerPaul Bragg give a talk on health and nutrition, focusing on the “evils of meat and sugar.” Bragg’s message resonated with LaLanne and it instantly changed his life. He said he was “born again” and focused on diet and exercise. He began working out every day and went back to school. LaLanne made the football team, went to college and became a Doctor of Chiropractic.
But, LaLanne knew he could touch more lives if he didn’t practice Chiropractic, and that’s what he really wanted to do. So, Jack became a health and fitness pioneer. Since he did so many amazing things – the best thing to do is to list them: 1954 (age 40): Jack swam the entire length (8,981 ft/1.7 mi) of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, under water, with 140 pounds (64 kg; 10 st) of air tanks and other equipment strapped to his body; a world record. 1955 (age 41): Jack swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco while handcuffed. When interviewed afterwards, he was quoted as saying that the worst thing about the ordeal was being handcuffed, which significantly reduced his chance to do a jumping jack. 1956 (age 42): Jack set what was claimed as a world record of 1,033 push-ups in 23 minutes on You Asked For It, a television program hosted byArt Baker. 1957 (age 43): Jack swam the Golden Gate channel while towing a 2,500-pound (1,100 kg; 180 st)cabin cruiser. The swift ocean currents turned this one-mile (1.6 km) swim into a swimming distance of 6.5 miles (10.5 km). 1958 (age 44): Jack maneuvered a paddleboard nonstop from the Farallon Islands to the San Francisco shore. The 30-mile (48 km) trip took 9.5 hours. 1959 (age 45): Jack did 1,000 star jumps and 1,000 chin-ups in 1 hour and 22 minutes to promote The Jack LaLanne Show going nationwide. LaLanne said this was the most difficult of his stunts, but only because the skin on his hands started ripping off during the chin-ups. He felt he couldn’t stop because it would be seen as a public failure. 1974 (age 60): For the second time, he swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman’s Wharf. Again, he was handcuffed, but this time he was also shackled and towed a1,000-pound (450 kg; 71 st) boat. 1975 (age 61): Repeating his performance of 21 years earlier, he again swam the entire length of the Golden Gate Bridge, underwater and handcuffed, but this time he was shackled and towed a 1,000- pound (450 kg; 71 st) boat. 1976 (age 62): To commemorate the “Spirit of ’76”, United States Bicentennial, he swam one mile (1.6 km) in Long Beach Harbor. He was handcuffed and shackled, and he towed 13 boats (representing the 13 original colonies) containing 76 people. 1979 (age 65): Jack towed 65 boats in Lake Ashinoko near Tokyo, Japan. He was handcuffed and shackled, and the boats were filled with 6,500 pounds (2,900 kg; 460 st) of Louisiana Pacific wood pulp. 1980 (age 66): Jack towed 10 boats in North Miami, Florida.The boats carried 77 people, and he towed them for over one mile (1.6 km) in less than one hour. 1984 (age 70):Handcuffed, shackled, and fighting strong winds and currents, Jack towed 70 rowboats, one with several guests, from the Queen’s Way Bridge in the Long Beach Harbor to the Queen Mary, 1 mile.
Jack was also the first to: open a modern health spa, have a nationally syndicated exercise show on television, have athletes work out with weights, have women work out with weights, have elderly work out with weights, have a combination health food bar and gym, have a weight loss Instant Breakfast meal replacement drink, have a coed health club, combine weight training with nutrition, have an edible snack nutrition bar, sell vitamins and exercise equipment on television, teach scientific bodybuilding by changing the workout every 2-3weeks, encourage the physically challenged to exercise, and he also developed many of the exercise machines and equipment that are still used today. Jack said, “If man made it, don’t eat it.” He also said he NEVER ate dessert. Just doing those two things could change your life.
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.
3
Presented by Beecher Chiropractic Clinic 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston TX 77062 (281) 286-1300
Did You Know?… Tea is a great food for health! 1. Tea, without sugar or honey, only has two calories per cup. 2. Steeping tea for three to five minutes produces the most antioxidants. 3. Milk in your tea doesn’t reduce tea’s health benefits. 4. The maximum amount of antioxidants contained in tea comes from brewing loose leaves or from tea bags. (Tea in powders or bottles has little or no helpful antioxidants!) 5. Tea in products applied to the skin has little or no health enhancing properties. Teas, especially white and green teas, can help with the following: Stimulate mental clarity, reduce the risk of certain cancers, reduce the risk of heart disease, lower blood sugar levels, help prevent viral infections, help prevent bad breath, and help prevent tooth decay. Also, because the water used in tea is boiled, this makes tea safer to drink than tap water…
Tip Of The Month – Dietary Changes May Help ADHD.
Also: Consumption Of This Is Linked To Depression.
You are what you eat. This is not just a catchy saying – it is the absolute truth. Yet, most people ignore this “truth” and suffer from preventable diseases, aches and pains. Most seem to think it is easier to eat junk and take a pill later. There is always a miracle medicine to save you, isn’t there? The truth of the matter is…No, There Isn’t. It is abundantly clear and becoming clearer
each and every day that taking medication is no substitute for eating right, exercising and practicing proper maintenance care. Clearly, having your teeth pulled and replacing them with dental implants is no replacement for brushing and flossing your teeth and going to the dentist for routine check-ups. Eating fat, sugar and processed foods for 40 years and then thinking a drug or surgery is going to save you is even more foolish. Here is some research on what you and your children eat that you will find very interesting. Study #1: What You Eat and ADHD – A recent study found putting children with ADHD on a restrictive diet to eliminate possible, unknown food allergies decreased hyperactivity for 64 percent of kids. In the study, 41 kids completed the elimination diet and 32 saw decreased symptoms. Here’s a really important part: When certain foods thought to be “triggers” for each child were reintroduced, most of the children relapsed. The elimination diet, which lasted 5 weeks, consisted predominantly of rice, white meat and some vegetables. Among 50 kids given a “control” diet that was just a standard, healthy diet for children, significant changes were not noted. Due to the results, lead author of the study and a psychiatrist at the Nijmegen Medical Centre, Jan Buitelaar, recommended the elimination diet become part of the standard of care for children with ADHD. Here’s An Important Note About This Study – Many doctors frown upon the elimination diet, not because of its results, but because it is
“difficult.” Because it is perceived to be hard and many won’t do it, it is tossed aside for an easier approach. Of course, it is “easier” to take medications, but is the easiest approach usually the best? Study #2: Eating This Increases Depression Risk – According to Dr. Joseph Mercola’s health blog, “Consumption of trans fats can increase your risk of depression, according to new research. However, healthier fats may actually reduce your risk.” Participants in the study with the highest level of trans fat consumption had up to a 48% increase in the risk of depression. Study #3: Report Says Energy Drinks Unhealthy – According to a new report published in the Journal of Pediatrics, popular energy drinks may be harmful to children’s health. These risks are amplified if the child has diabetes, ADHD or a heart condition. The report also stated that 30-50% of children consume these drinks and they do not substantially increase performance or energy levels. Sales of products such as Red Bull, Full Throttle, Monster Energy and Rockstar are expected to reach about $9 billion in the U.S. this year, with children and young adults under 25 providing most of the revenue. Because these drinks are considered supplements, they are not regulated by the FDA.
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 call our office at 281-286-1300.
4
Presented by Beecher Chiropractic Clinic 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston TX 77062 (281) 286-1300
Dr. Beecher’s April 4th, 2011 Weekly Chiropractic Newsletter
For More Information, please download this week’s newsletter, here.
WEEKLY HEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Week of Monday, April 4th, 2011
Mental Attitude: Delay Alzheimer’s! Mastering a second language seems to delay getting Alzheimer’s as bilingual patients did not contract Alzheimer’s until 5 years later than monolingual patients. Even if you’re not bilingual, there are other ways to exercise the brain like word games, crosswords, word search. Ellen Bialystok, York University, Feb 2011
Health Alert: Too Much Drinking! 5.9% of adolescents ages 12-14 drank alcohol in the past month and 44.8% received their alcohol for free from their family or at home. People who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are six times more likely to develop alcohol problems than those who start at age 21 and older. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, Feb 2011
Diet: Allergic To Food? 17 million people in Europe suffer from food allergies, with 3.5 million younger than 25 years old. Allergies in children under 5 have doubled over the last ten years and trips to the emergency room for severe anaphylactic reactions have increased seven-fold. Allergic reactions are probably increasing due to changes in nutrition patterns, exposure to environmental factors such as cigarette smoke and changes in lifestyle.
European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Feb 2011
Exercise: New Toy. A wireless device, the iSense, can predict and detect the status of muscles during training. The iSense helps optimize performance by building the bridge between what the brain is telling the athlete and what the muscles are actually doing. The iSense device detects the tiny electrical signals muscles produce when contracting. Muscle fatigue can promote muscle growth, but can also cause serious injury when the level of fatigue is high. When muscle fatigue is not detected soon enough, it can often lead to pain and injuries. The system will guide the user during training to act as a warning device, to avoid unnecessary strain on the muscles and avoid injury.
Essex University, AlphaGalileo Foundation
Chiropractic: Watch Your Back! Half of working Americans suffer from back pain each year. 25% of American adults reported they suffered from back pain for at least a day within the last three months and lower back pain is the
5th most common reason people visit the doctor. CDC
Wellness/Prevention: Wear A Helmet. Severe head trauma is the most frequent cause of death and severe disability in skiers and snowboarders and accounts for 15% of all skiing and snowboarding related injuries. Injuries include epidural hematoma, subdural hematoma, other traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, skull fractures and cervical spine injury. Helmet use reduces head injuries 35%, with another study suggests head injury reductions range from
15-60%. Helmet wearers decreased the need for neurosurgical procedures, length of hospital stay, and incidence of death. Journal of Neurosurgery: Pediatrics, March 2011
Quote: “The player who loses his head and his cool, is worse than no player at all.” ~ Lou Gehrig
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.
Is Your Back Healing Correctly?
Clear Lake City Chiropractor Comments: It’s a good question. We want to do the things that promote and speed healing, and not do the kinds of things that cause more harm or are destructive. A lot of us know that a little rest when we injure the back is ok, but staying in bed for a week might not be a good idea. Studies have shown that bed rest for more than 2 days causes even more pain. Since our goal is to move, then lying down doesn’t seem like a worthwhile step towards that goal.
Some of us know that when the back flares up, ice is better than heat. Some of us still don’t, and instead throw gasoline on the inflammation fire by having a soak in the hot tub.
These things are obvious on the list of do’s and don’ts for the person with low back pain. But pain pills have a downside that a lot of us are not aware.
It seems like taking a pill for few days to help with pain is reasonable enough. Right? Maybe wrong.
For example, certain NSAIDs (e.g. ibuprofen) can make the scar formation in a muscle strain less effective. Instead of the scar being formed properly, it is in a more disorganized or scrambled fashion. If you have a poorer scar, the tissue will not be as strong and could lead to re-injury or a delay in your recovery. We don’t think about it but just not taking pain pills early on would help for a lifetime. Ice can be an effective pain killer and doesn’t come with medication-side effects.
Muscle relaxants are also prescribed for people with back pain. They are consumed by 49% of patients. The theory is that the muscle spasm should be relieved so that there can be less muscle pain. A study of patients who took muscle relaxants showed that these sufferers recovered more slowly. Unfortunately, the muscle spasm is there for good reason: to protect a delicate nerve.
Another thing that you have to consider besides poor scar formation and slowed healing is the actual purpose of these medications. You have to also ask yourself why your body wants you to feel this pain. The body wants you to protect the area from movement. If you block the pain with medications, you may move too much, or too soon in the healing process, delaying your recovery.
A study that compared chiropractic adjustments to muscle relaxants in patients with low back pain had interesting results. There was also a sham adjustment group and a placebo medicine group. The authors concluded that chiropractic care had superior results.
At Beecher Chiropractic Clinic, we can help guide you to when you can return to certain work or sports. By gradually integrating exercises into your daily routine as the function of the joints is improved, your injury can heal more naturally.
Dr. Ward Beecher practices at Beecher Chiropractic Clinic at 1001 Pineloch, Ste 700 Houston, TX 77062. You can schedule an appointment at BeecherChiropractic.com. or by calling (281) 286-1300. If you have any questions regarding this blog, please comment below!
